Prayer!
“Love to pray. Feel the need to pray often during the day. Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of Himself. Ask and seek and your heart will grow big enough to receive Him and keep Him as your own.”
St. Teresa of Calcutta
1. Lead, Kindly Light!
2. Strong Woman Versus a Woman of Strength
3. Prayer for the Dead
11-1. Prayer for the Armed Forces Book of Worship for United States Forces
11- 2. For Family and Home Book of Worship for United States Forces
11-3. For Today Book of Worship for United States Forces
11-4. For Enemies Book of Worship for United States Forces
11-5. For Peace Book of Worship for United States Forces
12. A Prayer for Families
13. Have no fear for what tomorrow may bring…
14. Physician’s Prayer
15. A Physician’s Prayer
16. A Nurse’s Prayer
17. Prayer for Migrants and Refugees
18. Prayer to the Shepherd of the Universe
19. Prayer for Hurricane Season
20. Thanksgiving Book of Worship for United States Forces
21. Blessing Prayer for the Advent Wreath
22. Blessed Are You, Lord Our God, Who Daily Gifts Us With Time
23. Epigraph
24. A Prayer for Married Couples
25. Safely Home!
26. This is from a 1949 Priest’s Ritual concerning Holy Matrimony!
27. Prayer to St. Joseph prior to traveling…
28. A Prayer was handed to me one day by an Associate of CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital and it is good! Author Unknown
29. I found this prayer on my Family Information desk when I reported to work as a ‘Pink Lady’ at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital and was requested to search the internet trying to link lost family members with our patients from New Orleans, LA post- Hurricane Katrina.
30. Prayer for a Safe Journey
31. May He support us all the day long, till the shades lengthen and the busy world is hushed and the fever of life is over and our work is done. Then in His mercy may He give us a safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last. Cardinal Newman
32. Making the Deaf Hear
33. Blessing Prayer for a Wedding Anniversary
34. Holy Mass
35. I have a compendium of sayings on post-its in my Journal which jump-start my mind and heart many a-mornings…just a few for you!
36. ~Prayer of St. Benedict
1. ~Prayer
2. ~The Oblate Prayer
3. ~Prayer for Insight
4. ~A Prayer for Generosity
5. ~Prayer for Benefactors and Friends
6. ~Prayer for Peace (Clyde, Missouri)
7. ~Prayer to Obtain the Spirit of Prayer (Clyde, Missouri)
8. ~Traditional Prayer in Honor of St. Benedict to Obtain the Grace of a Happy Death
37. A Prayer from the World Meeting of Families www.vatican.va
38. A Prayer for Forgiveness
He was 41 and I was 30! I had prepared a prayer that we were to read just before walking down the aisle!
v Airborne Prayer
v VATICAN CITY, 20 APR 2008 (VIS) - In New York at 9.30 a.m. local time today, the Pope visited Ground Zero, the name now used to refer to the site once occupied by the twin towers of the World Trade Centre.
56. A-CDP Monthly Reflection
96. Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman – Excerpt from: Meditations and Devotions
97. The Basque Shepherd and The Shepherd Psalm xxiii
98. Morning Prayer Subiaco Abbey
99. Healing Prayer
100. Disabled American Veterans – Poem at Christmas
101. One Solitary Life
102. Keeping Christmas
103. Prayer Before Study (found in Alvin Joseph’s book bag!)
104. My Father-in-laws Sign of the Cross!
105. Palm Donkey!
106. Prayer of a Soldier in France
107. Prayer for Healing …from a blackboard in the intensive care unit in a Munich hospital
1. Lead, Kindly Light!
Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
Lead Thou me on;
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene, one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead Thou me on.
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will: remember not past years.
So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone;
And with the morn, those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.
Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman
…was an Anglican minister and converted to Roman Catholicism. This poem was written circa 1890 as he was returning from a stay in Italy where he was near death due to a fever. He wrote this on his way back to England and, he knew then, The Church of Rome! He was a brilliant and humble man.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QSG1ymbEzs&feature=related Thank you, Al Rees, for this link-alert!
2. STRONG WOMAN VERSUS A WOMAN OF STRENGTH
A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape,
but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.
A strong woman isn’t afraid of anything…but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear.
A strong woman won’t let anyone get the best of her…but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone.
A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future…a woman of strength realizes life’s mistakes can also be God’s blessings and capitalizes on them.
A strong woman walks sure footedly, but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.
A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face, but a woman of strength wears grace.
A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey, but a woman of strength has faith that it is the journey that will make her strong.
3. To The Extended Monlezun Family From Anna Bernadette
‘Prayer for the Dead’ 28 November 2003
‘Lord help us to see death for what it really is,
The end of poverty and the beginning of riches;
The end of frustration and the beginning of fulfillment;
The end of fear and the beginning of tranquility;
The end of pain and the beginning of joy;
The end of weakness and the beginning of strength.
Let not grief overwhelm us, or a sense of loss embitter us.
But out of our sadness let there arise a new joy for so much given to us.
Cast out our fears and let not our hearts be troubled.
Let your spirit of peace come alive within our experience and hurt,
Our sorrow and isolation, our sadness today and loneliness tomorrow.
We humbly commend to you, Lee Joseph and Anna Gertrude Hensgens-Monlezun whom you have called out of this mortal life.
You loved them always with great love.
Now that you have freed them from all evils of this earth, bring them into your paradise where there is no more grief or mourning, or sadness but peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever.
We thank you for all the blessings you have given to our parents in their mortal life. We pray that they may be able to glorify you with the life that they lived and the way they made use of their blessings.
Lord God, grant that we will never forget that life is short and uncertain.
Let your spirit guide us in holiness, justice and service to our brothers and sisters. You are our rock, our fortress and our strength. We trust in you and hope in your glorious resurrection.
We lift up to you our grief and sorrow, confident that you will change our mourning to rejoicing that our beloved parents, now rests in peace.’
Taken from ‘The Good Doctor Oaths, Quotes and Prayers for Physicians’
4. Peace Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
5. BLESSING PRAYER FOR OTHERS WHO ARE ABOUT TO LEAVE ON A JOURNEY
Prayers for the Domestic Church Edward Hays
Blessed are you, Lord our God,
For You have created a wide and wonderful world
In which we can travel.
We ask Your blessing upon:
As They are about to leave on a trip to:
May You, Holy Guide of Travelers,]
Be their ever-near companion,
Spreading the road before them
With beauty and adventure.
Free that road from harm and evil,
And send as their escorts
Your holy spirits, Your angelic messengers,
Who accompanied the holy ones of days past.
On this journey, may they take with them
As part of their traveling equipment
A heart wrapped in wonder
With which to rejoice in all they shall meet.
Along with that clothing of wonder,
May they have room in their luggage
For a mystic map.
With the aid of this map,
May they read the invisible meanings
Of the events of this journey-
Of possible disappointment and delays,
Of possible breakdowns and rainy day troubles.
Always awake to Your Sacred Presence
And to Your divine compassionate love,
They shall see in all that happens,
In the beautiful and the bad,
The mystery of Your holy plan.
May the blessings of the Father,
And of the Son
And of the Holy Spirit
Be upon you throughout this trip;
May it shield you from all harm
And bring you home again in safety and in peace. AMEN+
6. THANKSGIVING PRAYER FOR A SAFE RETURN HOME AFTER A JOURNEY Prayers for the Domestic Church Edward Hays
Lord, we are home again, and we lift up our hearts in a song of gratitude for the blessings of our journey. Holy Guide of Pilgrims and Travelers, You have been our personal escort upon this journey. We are grateful for all we have seen and experience, for the beauty we have met, for the new places we have visited.
We are thankful, also, for the protection from harm and injury that was ours. Your angelic care surrounded us as an invisible shield against evil and harm. Your love for us is now a cause for prayer and gratitude.
Lord, it is good to be home again. Our time away has opened our eyes to see our home and belongings with greater appreciation. Since half of the pleasure of a journey is in the coming home, we take joy in our return.
May this joy be a taste of the happiness awaiting us when we finally come home to You. In that final homecoming, we shall feast upon the fullness of Your love as we are surrounded by the affection of loved ones who have returned to You before us. We pause now and, in silence; lift up our hearts in gratitude for the pleasures of our trip and the blessing of being home.
Blessed are You, Lord of All Who Travel, for Your holy and gracious care while we traveled and for bringing us home safely again. Amen+
7. EASTER PRAYER Prayers for the Domestic Church Edward Hays
Blessed are You, Lord our God, who raised Jesus from the tomb and has gathered all of us around this table. As the light of God overcame the darkness of death, may this candle we now light be for us a sign of the flame of life that burns within our hearts.
As this candle calls us to the feast of this our table, may the light of Christ, call us to His eternal Easter feast. With great joy, we come to our Easter meal as we continue our celebration of the ever-newness of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We rejoice in the resurrection of spring, as birds, flowers and fields come alive after the long sleep of winter. May we, in this Easter Sunday meal, share with them the great joy of life. As our Risen Lord came as a guest and ate with His disciples, may we be grateful for the presence at out table of our guests: and family that have gone before and will come after, who bring to our table the holy presence of God and add to our celebration of this blessed meal.
May the taste of goodness in this food be a promise of the eternal Easter meal when we shall all share together with our Risen Lord. May this Easter be a sacrament of springtime, peace and eternal happiness. May God’s blessing rest upon this table and each of us. Amen!
8. Opening Prayer Medical Resource Book Presentations…2004 onward!
Opening Prayer
LET US COME INTO GOD’S PRESENCE…
May The Father be With us, that He may defend us;
Within us, that He may sustain us;
Before us, that He may lead us;
Behind us, that He may protect us;
Above us, that He may bless us;
We place this time of prayer, study and sharing under His loving and tender care. May He be in our minds so we may learn; in our hearts that we may see.
Lead, Kindly Light!
AMEN! CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital Department of Pastoral Care
9. Blessed Are You Lord, Who Enhances Our Lives With Work!
For the gift of work, we are grateful in this prayer.
As the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve,
We follow in the steps of our first parents
Who, before their fall,
Worked joyfully with their hands
In your Garden of Eden, Lord and Creator.
We are thankful for the dignity and creative challenge
Of our unique tasks.
For the work that ennobles us,
That lifts up our spirits,
We are grateful.
By means of these labors,
We are able to give flesh to our spiritual dreams
And to work out the salvation of the earth.
We take time to thank you
For those common tasks that we must perform each day,
Those necessary labors of life
By which, according to Your divine plan,
We are also able to create the Kingdom here in our midst.
We daily follow in the footsteps of Jesus,
The carpenter of Nazareth,
And in the way of Mary, His mother,
Who gracefully worked at the tasks of her home.
As we rejoice in the opportunities for work
That form us in Your love,
With St. Paul, the tent-maker,
With St. Peter, the fisherman,
We too labor in love
As we proclaim the mysteries of Your Gospel of good news.
Help us, Lord our God,
To use the work of this day-
To perform it with mindfulness and attention,
With care and devotion-
That it will be holy and healing
For us and for all the earth.
Blessed are You, Lord our God,
Who enhances our lives with work. Amen+
10. Blessed Are You, Lord Our God, Who Has Given To Each Of Us a Personal Destiny and Purpose In Life.
97th Anniversary of CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital 1908-2005!
We thank you, God of Mysterious Ways that you have a holy design for
each of us. We rejoice that we are, each of us, special to You, that our names
are written in the palm of Your hand and our place in history, our purpose
for existing, is known within Your heart, since endless ages. We are grateful
for that long line of holy people, who since ancient times have inspired
others by their faithfulness to their own special destinies. They, by their very
lives, shout out to us not to compromise our destinies, but to live fully within
Your eternal design. Blessed are You, Inscrutable Lord, for those events and
persons, especially The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word for their
vocation and love which have helped us to discover adventure and purpose,
fruitfulness and meaning, in our time spent serving in this sacred space in
the ‘healing ministry of Jesus Christ’. Blessed are You for teachers, parents
and other guides who call us out from the cocoon of comfort and
contentment to embark upon that unique path which You have set forth for
each of Your sons and daughters. Blessed are You, Lord our God, who has
given to each of us a personal destiny and purpose in life. Amen+
Prayers for the Domestic Church/Adapted Edward Hay
11-1. Prayer for the Armed Forces Book of Worship for United States Forces
O Lord God of hosts, stretch forth, we pray, your almighty arm to strengthen and protect the soldiers of our country. Support them in the day of battle, and in the time of rest and training keep them safe from all evil. Imbue them with courage and loyalty; and grant that in all things they may serve without reproach; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O eternal Lord God, you alone spread out the heavens and rule the raging sea. Take into your most gracious protection our country’s navy and all who serve therein. Preserve them from the dangers of the sea and from the violence of the enemy, that they may be a safeguard unto the United States of America, and a security for such as sail upon the seas in peaceful and lawful missions. In serving you, O Lord, may our sailors serve their country; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O Lord of hosts, you stretch out the heavens like a curtain. Watch over and protect, we pray, the airmen of our country as they fly upon their appointed tasks. Give them courage as they face the foe, and skill in the performance of their duty. Sustain them with your everlasting arms. May your hand lead them, and your right hand hold them up, that they may return to the earth with a grateful sense of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O eternal Father, we commend to your protection and care the members of the marine corps. Guide and direct them in the defense of our country and in the maintenance of justice among the nations. Sustain them in the hour of danger. Grant that wherever they serve they may be loyal to their high traditions, and that at all times they may put their trust in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O Lord our God, who stilled the raging of the seas by your word of power: watch over, we pray you, the men and women of the coast guard as they sail upon their missions of vigilant aid. Grant them courage and skill and a safe return. Fill them with a grateful sense of your mercy toward them; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
11- 2. For Family and Home Book of Worship for United States Forces
O God, the Father and defender of your people, whom neither space nor time can separate from such as continue in your keeping: be present, we beseech you, with those who are parted from us; prosper them and do them good; guide and direct them in all their undertakings; let nothing hurtful beset them and no evil befall them; and grant that, upheld by your right hand, they may arrive in safety at their journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
11-3. For Today Book of Worship for United States Forces
O God, you have revealed yourself in the glory of the heavens and in the burning bush, in the still small voice and in the dread power of the hydrogen bomb. Make us aware of your presence as you come in judgement through the events of our time, Grant us to stand in awe and sin not. Help us so to use the fearful powers you have permitted us to know, that we may not work to man’s destruction but for his fulfillment. Lift us above the suspicions and fears of our day, that we may bring peace among all men. This we ask, anxious, yet quiet in you; perplexed, yet certain in you; weak, yet strong in you; through him who is the Savior of us all, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord God of hosts, you have made known your authority and delivered your orders for the day in your holy law; you have given persons authority to exercise leadership over us and have bidden us to obey them and to pray for them; we beseech you, fill our officers with zeal for the tasks delegated to them and with understanding and concern for those who, serving under them, must carry out those tasks. May they serve you with pure, exemplary lives and thereby give those whom they lead an ideal to follow. Give them wisdom to judge justly and with compassion in dealings with their subordinates, so that we may be ready to follow their leadership with a willing spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
11-4. For Enemies Book of Worship for United States Forces
Have mercy, Father, upon those who live to enslave the world rather than let men live in freedom. Bring light to their darkened minds, peace to their warring hearts, and sanity to their warped designs. Hasten the day when international enemies are won to friendship by those who have the power of your love.
Order our lives and our society, O God, that our public enemies decrease and disappear. Through just laws and upright behavior remove the rewards which come from preying on the earnings of others. Convert these enemies to a way of life which will make them friends of the society in which they live.
Especially, O God, let us minister love to the enemies of the cross, whose end is destruction unless they be converted and turn from their evil way. Give them grace to be won as Paul was won, to be your servants with power.
We remember in these moments those who have grieved us personally with their hostility. Save them, O God, and unite us in love rather than being divided in enmity. Where we have sinned in this relationship, forgive, and make us instruments of your peace, after the example and by the power of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
11-5. For Peace Book of Worship for United States Forces
Lord God, we see the sins of the world in the light of Your only Son, since His coming to be your mercy toward us. We have come to suspect how hard and unrelenting we are toward each other.
We ask you to renew us according to His example.
Let us grow like Him and no longer repay evil with evil. But make peace and live in truth
today and every day of our lives.
God, you are not happy with us when we make each other unhappy.
You cannot bear it when we kill and destroy each other.
Break, we pray you, the cycle of evil that holds us captive
And let sin die in us
As the sin of the world died in Jesus, Your Son, and death was killed.
He lives for us today and every day.
Amen!
May there be peace in our hearts, peace in our families, peace in the world.
Lead, Kindly Light!
12. A Prayer for Families
We bless your name, O Lord
for sending Your own incarnate Son,
to become part of a family,
so that, as He lived His life,
He would experience its worries and its joys.
We ask You, Lord,
to protect and watch over this family,
so that in the strength of your grace
its members may enjoy prosperity,
possess the priceless gift of your peace,
and, as the Church alive in the home,
bear witness in this world to your glory.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen+ Book of Blessings
13. Have no fear for what tomorrow may bring.
The same loving God who cares for you today
will take care of you tomorrow and every day.
He will either shield you from suffering or give
you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace,
then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and
imaginings. St. Francis de Sales
14. Physician’s Prayer
Lord, Who on earth didst minister,
To those who helpless lay
In pain and weakness, hear me now,
as unto Thee I pray.
Give to mine eyes the power to see
the hidden source of ill,
give to my hand the healing touch
the throb of pain to still.
Grant that mine ears be swift to hear
the cry of those in pain;
give to my tongue the words that bring
comfort and strength again.
Fill Thou my heart with tenderness,
my brain with wisdom true,
and when in weariness I sink,
strengthen Thou me anew.
So in Thy footsteps may I tread,
strong in Thy strength always
so may I do Thy blessed work
And praise Thee day by day.
Gerstert Litho Italy
Requested of and graciously submitted by Lee Joseph Monlezun, Jr., MD
15. A PHYSICIAN’S PRAYER
Lord, Thou Great Physician, I kneel before
Thee. Since every good and perfect gift must
come from Thee,
I PRAY:
Give skill to my hand, clear vision to my mind,
kindness and sympathy to my heart. Give me
singleness of purpose, strength to lift at least
a part of the burden of my suffering fellowman,
and a true realization of the rare privilege that is
mine. Take from my heart all guile and
worldliness, that with the simple faith of a child
I may rely on Thee. Amen.
Author Unknown
Requested of and graciously submitted by Lee Joseph Monlezun, Jr., MD
16. A Nurse’s Prayer
O my God, teach me to receive the sick in Thy name. Give to my efforts success for the glory of Thy holy Name. It is Thy work: without Thee I cannot succeed.
Grant that the sick Thou hast placed in my care may be abundantly blessed, and not one of them be lost because of any neglect on my part.
Help me to overcome every temporal weakness, and strengthen in me whatever may enable me to bring joy to the lives of those I serve.
Give me grace, for the sake of Thy sick ones and of those lives that will be influenced by them. Amen. Author unknown.
Requested of and graciously submitted by Constance Monlezun-Darbonne, R.N., C.F.N.P.
17. Prayer for Migrants and Refugees
“Dear Jesus, our journey through life is long and hard. We cannot make this trip alone; we must walk together on the journey. You promised to send us a helper, your Spirit. Help us to see your Spirit in those you send to journey with us.
In the refugee family, seeking safety from violence, let us see your Spirit…
In the migrant worker, bringing food to our tables…
In the asylum-seeker, seeking justice for himself and his family…
In the accompanied child, traveling in a dangerous world…
Teach us to … welcome not only the strangers in our midst but the gifts they bring as well…This is the help you have sent: we are not alone.
We are together on the journey, and for this we give you thanks. Amen.”
National Migration Week, ‘Catholic Connection’, Monthly Magazine of the Diocese of Shreveport
18. Prayer to the Shepherd of the Universe
Shepherd of the Universe, Who reconcile all peoples, gather the stray sheep and bind up wounds with Your healing love, we ask You to guide and protect every member of the human family.
Bring nations together in peaceful concord ensuring liberty and justice for all.
Bring peoples of every race and creed to respect one another in faith, hope, and love as sons and daughters of the living God.
Bring families a deep spirit of love unity, loyalty, mutual encouragement and understanding.
Gather up all those who have strayed from Your love, who are bitter and cynical, defiant and rebellious.
Gather up hardened criminals and perverts, drug pushers and all those who lead others astray.
Gather up all young people who have lost a sense of meaning in life, who wander aimlessly and hopelessly.
Heal the poor and unwanted, the defected and lonely.
Heal the sick and dying, especially those enduring extreme physical pain and permanent disabilities.
Heal all mental illnesses and handicaps, the despairing, drug addicts and alcoholics.
Lord, You have told us many times that You came to be our Shepherd to rescue us from evil and to bring us to springs of life. We thank You for this promise, for the blood that You have poured down upon us as Lamb of God, bringing us to infinite love as You reconciled us to the Father through Your Spirit, forever, and ever. Amen
Sr. Denyse Lavigne, OSB Rickenbach Center, Clyde, MO
19. Prayer for Hurricane Season
O God, Master of this passing world, hear the humble voices of your children, The Sea of Galilee obeyed your order and returned to its former quietude; You are still the Master of land and sea. We live in the shadow of a danger over which we have no control: the Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant, can awake from its seeming lethargy, overstep its conventional boundaries, invade our land and spread chaos and disaster.
During the hurricane season, we turn to You, O loving Father. Spare us from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal with the passing of time. O, Virgin, Star of the Sea, Our Beloved Mother, we ask you to plead with your Son in our behalf, so that spared from the calamities common to this area and animated with a true spirit of gratitude, we will walk in the footsteps of your Divine Son to reach the heavenly Jerusalem where a stormless eternity awaits us. Amen
Imprimatur: August 29, 1967 Maurice Schexnayder, Bishop of Lafayette, Louisiana
20. THANKSGIVING Book of Worship for United States Forces
Almighty God, our Father, we turn to you now in thanks and praise, for you are the Giver of our lives and we know ourselves to be you own. For all that we have and are because of your love, we offer you our thanks.
For food and drink,
For clothing and shelter,
For friends and families,
For all who serve us by their professions and their concern,
For pleasant days and the beauties of this earth,
For books and schools and scholars,
For our science, learning, and the marvels of our modern age.
For music and laughter and poetry and color,
For help in times of need, and strength for moments of weakness,
For all that we have and are because of your love, we give you our thanks. We give you our thanks.
Yet keep us sensible, O God, of those who do not share surplus,
whose lot is harsh and whose means are few, who struggle with life and often fail.
Look upon the poor of the earth, and the handicapped, and the oppressed, and reach to them with your love.
Help us to help them. Guide us into paths of useful service, and give us the will to serve in every place of need.
Not let us forget our responsibility to the whole body of our race. Give us a sense of belonging, one to another, despite our nationalities, race or religion.
Uphold those who are set in positions of authority, and give them the grace to be wise and kind, charitable and the seekers of peace.
Let your peace come to our earth, dear Father. Bring an end to war forever. Cause men and nations to live in justice and harmony, with freedom for all. And go with us as we go from here, that in all our ways we may be confident of your presence.
When we are discouraged, give us a new heart and a new spirit.
When we are tired, help us to find new strength. When we are afraid, restore our confidence in your power and your purpose for our lives.
So may we serve you, O God, by being your people, in service to all who need us, and in joy for your love.
Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen!
21. Blessing Prayer for the Advent Wreath
Lord, Source of All Energy and Light,
the ancients saw the sun
as a great fire wheel rolling across the sky.
May our Advent wreath,
this small wheel of green,
be for us a symbol of the sun
and of the Son of God.
May its ever-greeness
Be a sign of life and of light
In the midst of the darkness of winter.
May the candles that burn brightly upon it
remind us of Your Son, Jesus,
who was the light of the world.
Grant, Lord, that this our Advent wreath
may be for us and for all who visit
CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital,
a sign of faith in a world grown cold with disbelief,
a symbol of hope in a time of gloom and despair
and a flaming image of love in a winter of mistrust and conflict.
May all who look upon this symbol of Advent be encouraged to
prepare their hearts for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ.
May this green wreath with its bright candles help us to prepare for the real Christmas which happens within our hearts.
May, then, Your blessing –
Father of Light, Son of Glory and Spirit of Love –
be upon this Advent wreath
and all who enter and exist our doors. AMEN!
Adapted from ‘Prayers for the Domestic Church’ by Edward Hays
22. Blessed Are You, Lord Our God, Who Daily Gifts Us With Time.
You who are Lord and Creator of Space and Time
yet who lives beyond them,
we praise You and honor You
for the gift of minutes, hours, days and years.
Each second of life that You give is precious and profound.
We pause now so as not to take these gifts for granted-
so that we may remember in a holy way
that all time is holy,
a gift which calls forth
songs of gratitude from our hearts.
We pause to gratefully remember
those whole persons of ages past
who call us to measure time in a godly way.
We call to mind:
Noah, counting forty rainy days and nights,
Job, waiting with longing in prayerful patience,
and Mary of Nazareth, numbering her nine months.
For those persons today who call us
to take time for work and for play,
to make time for love and praise,
to create time for rest
and the leisure necessary for creation,
we lift up our hearts in thanks.
We who live in the present
recall the past
so that by our remembrance we might more fittingly prepare
for the future time.
We who stand in the middle
of a trinity of time-
past, present and future-
do bless You, Source and Sustainer of All Seasons.
Blessed are You, Lord our God,
who daily gifts us with time. AMEN!
‘Prayers for the Domestic Church’ by Edward Hays
23. Epigraph
Trust the Church of God implicitly even when your natural judgment would take a different course from hers and would induce you to question her prudence or correctness. Recollect what a hard task she has; how she is sure to be criticized and spoken against, whatever she does; recollect how much she needs your loyal and tender devotion; recollect too, how long is the experience gained over so many centuries, and what a right she has to claim your assent to principles which have had so extended and triumphant a trial. Thank her that she has kept the faith safe for so many generations and do your part in helping her to transmit it to generations after you… A long sought-after desire of the eyes, joy of the heart, the truth after many shadows, the fullness after many foretastes, the home after many storms-come to her, poor wanderers, for she it is, and she alone, who can unfold the meaning of your being and the secret of your destiny.
~John Henry Cardinal Newman~
‘All Shall Be Well’ Hope and Inspiration from Great Catholic Thinkers
Jane Cavolina and Matthew Bunson
24. A Prayer for Married Couples
Lord Jesus, grant that I and my spouse may have a true and understanding love for each other. Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust. Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony. May we always bear with one another’s weaknesses and grow from each other’s strength. Help us to forgive one another’s failings and grant us patience, kindness, cheerfulness and the spirit of placing the well-being of one another ahead of self. May the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing year. Bring us both even closer to You through our love for each other. Let our love grow to perfection. Amen!
www.catholicdoors.com/prayerss Catholic Digest February 2006
25. SAFELY HOME!
“I am home in Heaven, dear ones; Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty in this everlasting light.
All the pain and grief is over, every restless tossing passed.
I am now at peace forever, safely home in Heaven at last.
Did you wonder I so calmly trod the valley of the shade?
Oh! but Jesus’ love illumined every dark and fearful glade.
And He came Himself to meet me in that way so hard to tread;
And with Jesus’ arm to lean on, could I have one doubt or dread?
Then you must not grieve so sorely, for I love you dearly still:
Try to look beyond earth’s shadows, pray to trust our Father’s Will.
There is work still waiting for you, so you must not idly stand:
Do it now, while life remaineth - you shall rest in Jesus’ land.
When that work is all completed, he will gently call you Home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting, oh, the joy to see you come!”
26. This is from a 1949 Priest’s Ritual concerning Holy Matrimony!
“My dear friends, you are about to enter upon a union of which God Himself is the author and which our Divine Savior has consecrated in a special manner, giving to it a character of sanctity, which places it among the holiest institutions of religion. He knew full well the dangers by which we are surrounded and the weakness of our nature, which requires a continual encouragement in the discharge of the duties that have been imposed on us. For this reason He has annexed to the worthy reception of this Sacrament peculiar Graces, which dispose the married couple to respect the sacred engagement which they have formed, and enable them to surmount the various obstacles and difficulties they may meet with in the discharge of the duties of life. The present occasion, then, is one of great interest to you both; nor can you view it in any other light than as the beginning of a most important era of your lives, and most intimately connected with your temporal and eternal welfare. We have every reason to believe that your anticipations of happiness in this holy state are founded on a solid basis; that you have duly prepared yourselves for this important event, and that you hearts are such, in the sight of God, as to draw upon you His special favor and blessing.
With confidence, then, in the promises of our Blessed Savior, who condescended to honor with His divine presence, the happy nuptials of Cana, invite Him to come and preside on this occasion also; to bless the contract you are about to enter into, and to render it, by His grace, a true emblem of that sacred union which exists between Him and His Church; a union of sentiment and action, founded in virtue and the love of God, a union not only for time, but for eternity.”
27. Prayer to St. Joseph prior to traveling…
O Blessed St. Joseph, who did accompany Jesus and Mary in all their journeys, and who has therefore merited to be called the Patron of Travelers, accompany us in this journey that we are about to undertake. Be our guide and our protector; watch over us; preserve us from all accidents and dangers to soul and body; support us in our fatigue, and aid us to sanctify it by offering it to God. Make us ever mindful that we are strangers, sojourners here below; that heaven is our true home; and help us to persevere on the straight road that leads there. We ask you especially to protect and aid us in this great voyage from this time to eternity, so that under your guidance we may reach the realm of happiness and glory, to repose there eternally with you in the company of Jesus and Mary. Amen.
28. A Prayer was handed to me one day by an Associate of CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital and it is good! Author Unknown
Our heavenly Father as we enter this workplace, we bring your presence with us. We speak your peace, your grace, your mercy and your perfect order into this workplace. We acknowledge your power over all that will be spoken, thought, decided and done within these walls. Lord we thank you for the gifts you have blessed us with. We commit to using them responsibly in your honor. Give us a fresh supply of strength to do our job. Anoint our projects, ideas and energy so that even our smallest accomplishments can bring you glory. When we are confused guide us. When we are weary energize us. When we are burned out infuse us with the light of the Holy Spirit. May the work we do and the way we do it bring faith, joy and a smile to all that we come in contact with today. And when we leave this place give us traveling mercy. Bless our family and our home to be in order as we left it. We thank you for everything you’ve done, everything you’re doing, and everything you’re going to do to bring us through this day and each day that follows. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
29. I found this prayer on my Family Information desk when I reported to work as a ‘Pink Lady’ at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital and was requested to search the internet trying to link lost family members with our patients from New Orleans, LA post- Hurricane Katrina. Many Associates prayed this prayer throughout the days doing those intense times which only worsened with landfall of Hurricane Rita! But, for those with living-faith, it was the most selfless-serving- time for it was our time to trust and act!
September 2005 O God, we remember when the disciples of Jesus were terrified after a long night on a turbulent sea. When they cried to you for help, you stilled the sea and brought them to safety. We ask now that you comfort and still the hearts of those suffering from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. We pray for those who have been displaced and who now must return to homes destroyed or damaged by the storm. We pray for those whom lives were lost and for those who now must grieve the loss of a loved one. We pray for those who are attempting to offer help and relief to victims. While so capriciously in the hand of what is uncontrollable, we know, O God, that you count your loving grace wash over those who must now face damaged lives, homes, and possessions. Hold them close to yourself until they are sure of the security of your loving embrace. Calm their hearts and still their souls, O Lord. We ask this for the sake of your love. AMEN. Author known only to God!
“Hurricane Season”
June – Too soon
July – Stand by
August – Look out you must
September – Remember
October – All over
An old mariner’s poem, 1898
30. Prayer for a Safe Journey
O God, you granted to St. Francis of Rome the special grace of the assistance of her angel; grant us through her intercession the help and protection of the angels that we may happily reach our destination, that we may return healthy and sound to our home, and protect us from every danger in order that we may enjoy their company eternally in heaven. Amen
31. May He support us all the day long, till the shades lengthen and the busy world is hushed and the fever of life is over and our work is done. Then in His mercy may He give us a safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last. Cardinal Newman
32. Cousin Anne Fautt was reading Day Prayer and shared it with me…sounds like something my Dad could have written!
Making the Deaf Hear,
Today, all people are looking with terror into the abyss to which they have been brought by the errors and principles which we have mentioned, and by their practical consequences. Gone are the proud illusions of limitless progress. Should any still fail to grasp this fact, the tragic situation of today would rouse them with the prophet’s cry: “Hear, ye the deaf and he blind, behold” (IS 42: 18). What used to appear on the outside as order was nothing but an invasion of disorder: confusion in the principles of moral life. These principles, once divorced from the majesty of the divine law, have tainted every field of human activity.
But let us leave the past and turn our eyes towards the future which, according to the promises of the powerful ones of this world, is to consist, once the bloody conflicts of today have ceased, in a new order founded on justice and on prosperity. Will that future be really different; above all, will it be better? Will treatises of peace, will the new international order at the end of this war be animated by justice and by equity towards all, by that spirit which frees and pacifies? Or will there be a lamentable repetition of ancient and of recent errors?
Once the bitterness and the cruel strife of the present have ceased, the new order of the world, of national and international life, must rest no longer on the quicksand of changeable and ephemeral standards that depend only on the selfish interests of groups and individuals. No, they must rest on the unshakable foundation, on the solid rock of natural law, and of divine revelation. There the human legislator must attain to that balance, that keen sense of moral responsibility, without which it is easy to mistake the boundary between the legitimate use and the abuse of power. Thus only will his decisions have internal, consistency, noble dignity and religious sanction, and immune from selfishness and passion. Pope Pius X11 1939 until 1958!
33. Blessing Prayer for a Wedding Anniversary, 11 August 2001 in Celebration of the First ‘Anniversary Tidy-up Day’ at Our Home of Origin! Our father died in 1985 and our mother in 2000.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Who united our parents in holy love.
Lord of All History and Divine Keeper of Memories, we celebrate today their 60th Anniversary of Marriage! We remember that blessed day when they were youthful of heart, filled with dreams surrounded by boundless hope and so we pledge ourselves to one another. May we who are here to honor those vows, now witness our celebration remembering that day. We rejoice in the good times, in the affection, success, laughter and happiness of those years together. These times of darkness have been part of our struggling growth as a family like sun and rain, joy and sorrow have been mixed together to create the rainbow of love that surrounded their marriage. For all times and gifts, we are grateful.
We bless you, Lord of Hearts on this anniversary meal for all that the past years have held for this family. As the candles burn brightly on our table, may the flame of love, fed by the mutual loves of our hearts, burn brightly before heaven and earth. We ask Your blessing on this table and this food. Bless our children, those who have gone before and will come after us, and all those persons who have helped us grow together. Lord, when another year has passed and we come to gather again to celebrate this special day, may we find that we have grown in devotion and love of each other and of You, our God and Divine Matchmaker.
Blessed be this day, our parents, this home and our families. Amen!
34. Holy Mass
In his book The Path To Rome, Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) speaks of the joys of attending daily morning Mass. “Of course there is a grace and influence belonging to (attending daily Mass),” Belloc states, “but it is not of that I am speaking but of the pleasing sensation of order and accomplishment which attaches to a day one has opened by Mass…” “For half-an-hour just at the opening of the day you are silent and recollected, and have to put off cares, interests, and passions in the repetition of a familiar action.” “…the surroundings of Mass incline you to good and reasonable thoughts, and for the moment deaden the rasp and jar of that busy wickedness which both working in one’s self and received from others is the true source of all human miseries.” “It is not for nothing that we call the Mass a perfect sacrifice. To attend a Mass, as many a saint would vouch, is nothing short of mingling with the angels.”
35. I have a compendium of sayings on post-its in my Journal which jump-start my mind and heart many a-mornings…just a few for you!
~“The real voyage of discovery consist not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes!”
~“If the spark be so bright, what must be the flame…a Light like this shines through the darkness…”
~“Conversion is a new way of being. I knew well that my heart had been accepted and returned to me with a small lamp in it. I was the only one who could put out the flame!”
~“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the workers to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea!” Antoine de Saint’Exupery.
~“…unremitting prayer, the daily fulfilling of our duties, constant self-denial and carrying of our cross is to understand the value of suffering. Then a gentle and joyful aura radiates from our whole person, because it gives expression to that peace which the world does not have, does not give and does not know!”
~“Each of us has been warmed by fires we did not build. Each of us has been nourished by wells we did not dig!’
~”Our times need spiritual adults, self-contained, self-controlled, self-directed persons who can stand the vagaries of life and not crumble, who can withstand the pressures of life and not succumb…we have something to offer and offer it we will!”
~”Give me grace in proportion to the work!”
~”How does this that I do today effect me for all eternity?!” Msgr. Irving A. DeBlanc
36. The Olivetan Benedictine Sisters, with whom I have recently enrolled as a Novice Year Oblate, share many prayers…I read from my mother’s prayers book weekly while in my home of origin and it is filled with holy cards and memorial cards! I seem to be accumulating mine here!
~Prayer of St. Benedict
Father, in your goodness grant me the intellect to comprehend you, the perception to discern you, and the reason to appreciate you. In your kindness endow me with the diligence to look for you,
the wisdom to discover you, and the spirit to apprehend you. In your graciousness bestow on me a heart to contemplate you, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, and a tongue to speak of you. In your mercy confer on me a conversation pleasing to you, the patience to wait for you, and the perseverance to long for you. Grant me a perfect end – your holy presence. Amen.
Attributed to St. Benedict of Nursia
36-1. Prayer
Raise up, O Lord, in our community, the spirit wherewith our holy father Saint Benedict was animated, that filled with the same spirit, we may endeavor to love what he loved and to practice what he taught. Grant us, we beseech you, O Lord, to persevere in the service of your will, that in our days, the people who serve you may increase both in merit and number, through Christ our Lord. Amen
36-2. THE OBLATE PRAYER
O Loving God, I ask your blessing this day on all the Oblates of Saint Benedict and those with whom we are affiliated. Help us to become people of prayer and peace. Though scattered far and wide, help us to be together in the spirit of your love. Give us hearts wide enough to embrace each other as well as those whose lives we touch. Enable us to listen and to learn from each other and those around us each day. May we be models in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities of wise stewardship, dignified human labor, sacred leisure, and reverence for all living things. Above all, O God, may our presence among others be a constant witness of justice, compassion and hope to all. Amen!
36-3. Prayer for Insight
Days pass, the years vanish and we walk sightless among miracles. Lord, fill our eyes with seeing and our minds with knowing. Let there be moments when your presence, like lightning, illuminates the darkness in which we walk. Help us to see, wherever we gaze, that the bush burns, unconsumed. And we, clay touched by God, will reach out for holiness and exclaim in wonder, “How filled with awe is this place and we did not know it.” Author Unknown
36-4. A Prayer for Generosity
Dear Lord, teach me to be generous, teach me to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wound, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to seek reward, save that of knowing that I do your will. St. Ignatius Loyola
36-5. Prayer for Benefactors and Friends
O most kind and gentle Jesus, I commend all those who have asked my unworthy prayers to your divine knowledge and love. I offer this prayer to your everlasting praise, and that through it you may shed forth your benefits and blessings on those who are dear to you and to me according to the good pleasure of your divine compassion. Amen
36-6. Prayer for Peace (Clyde, Missouri)
St. Benedict, you were a man of peace. You walked the paths of peace your whole life and led all who came to you into the ways o peace. Help us, St. Benedict, to achieve peace, peace in our hearts, peace where we live, and peace in our troubled world. Through your powerful intercession with God help us to be peace-makers. Aid us to work for peace, to take the first step in ending bitterness, to be the first to hold out our hand in friendship and forgiveness. Beg God to let peace permeate our lives so that they may be lived in his grace and love. To the end of our lives obtain for us the reward of peace-makers: the eternal vision of God in heaven. Amen.
36-7. Prayer to Obtain the Spirit of Prayer (Clyde, Missouri)
Lord Jesus Christ, you filled the hear and soul of your servant Benedict, with a deep love of prayer. His whole life was offered to you in a spirit of prayer. He died as he lived, with words of prayer on his lips. I ask his intercession with you to obtain for me this same spirit of prayer. In all the words and cares of my day I want to remember you. May St. Benedict teach me to make my life a prayer. May he help me to set aside some moment of every day especially for you. May he aid me to turn first to you in every joy and sorrow, in every decision an problem. Let my prayer be generous, confident and humble, and may his example lead me to live with my eyes fixed on you. St. Benedict, beloved of God, obtain this grace for me. Amen
36-8. Traditional Prayer in Honor of St. Benedict to Obtain the Grace of a Happy Death
O holy father, Benedict, blessed by God both in grace and in name, who, while standing in prayer with your hands raised to heaven, most happily yielded your angelic spirit into the hands of your Creator, and have promised zealously to defend against all the snares of the enemy in the last struggle of death, those who shall daily remind you of your glorious departure and your heavenly joys: protect us, we beseech you, I holy father, Benedict, this day and every day by your holy blessing, that we may never be separated from our blessed Lord, from the society of yourself and of all the blessed. Amen.
37. A Prayer from the World Meeting of Families www.vatican.va
O God, who in the Holy Family left us a perfect model of family life lived in faith and obedience to your will, help us to be examples of faith and love for your commandments. Help us in our mission of transmitting the faith, that we received from our parents. Open the hearts of our children, so that the seed of faith, which they received, in Baptism, will grow in them. Strengthen the faith our young people that they may grow in knowledge of Jesus. Increase love and faithfulness in all marriages, especially those going through times of suffering or difficulty. United to Joseph and Mary, we ask this through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord. Amen.
38. A Prayer for Forgiveness
For the times I lacked compassion and concern for others, forgive me Lord.
For not sharing my resources of time, talent and treasure, forgive me Lord.
For holding grudges and refusing to have a forgiving heart, forgive me Lord.
For failing to see your face in the homeless and helpless, forgive me Lord.
For believing that I could save myself, forgive me Lord.
For not living fully for You, forgive me Lord.
For doubting that You can and will forgive me unconditionally, forgive me Lord.
For doubting that you love me with an ever lasting love, forgive me Lord. Amen.
Catholic Digest December 2006…Adapted from Prayers for Every Time in a Women’s Life.
39. TEN CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS
A baby is born in a stable and the world is never the same. The story is so simple, but its message seems inexhaustible. Here are just ten things Christmas means:
Incarnation. At the Annunciation, the Word was made flesh. How often do we see the divine in the real people and things around us?
Humility. Jesus was born to a carpenter and his wife in a place they were given out of kindness. God shines among the lowly.
Obedience. Mary and Joseph made decisions, separately and together, to do what God asked. When Jesus prayed, “not my will, but Yours be done”, he was imitating his earthly parents.
Hope. In a moment of grace, the world was given a fresh start. So it can happen in any day of our lives.
Trust. The joy of Christmas would lead to the agony of Calvary. But through it all, God had a plan.
Love. God sent Jesus to suffer and die for us. There is no greater model of love.
God chose people to accomplish redemption. God still needs people to accomplish the divine plan of earth.
Live triumphs over death. Herod’s plan failed. Pilate and the Pharisees would fail. Good survives evil.
Joy. In a dirty place on a frigid night, joy rocked the heavens. So joy must mean something more than comfort.
Peace. When the angels rejoice, they mentioned two things: glory to God and peace to people on earth. Maybe the kingdom is that simple.
CATHOLIC CUSTOMS & TRADITIONS Editor’s Notebook, Catholic Digest, December 2002
40. Hectór and I were putting the brand new name ‘VELERO!’ on the side of his refurbished sailboat, extensive work that was needed due to Hurricane Rita and as he was reaching for something in his wallet. I saw this ‘prayer’ which was right under the picture of our son! I asked if I might write it out for you…
IT IS THE VETERAN
It is the VETERAN, not the preacher WHO has given us freedom of religion.
It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, WHO has given us freedom of the press.
It is the VETERAN, not the poet, WHO has given us freedom of speech.
It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer WHO has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the VETERAN, not the politician WHO has given us the right to vote.
It is the VETERAN who salutes the Flag, who serves the Flag,
whose coffin is draped by the Flag.
41. Blessing Prayer for the Home
FATHER: Lord our God, You who whose home is in heaven, on earth…and in that undiscovered beyond, come and bless our house which is now to be our home.
Surround this shelter with Your Holy Spirit. Encompass all its four sides with the power of Your protection so that no evil or harm will come near. May that divine blessing shield this home from destruction, storm, sickness and all that might bring evil to us who shall live within these walls.
Blessed be this doorway: May all who come to it be treated with respect and kindness. May all our comings and goings be under the seal of God’s loving care. Blessed be all the rooms of this home. May each of them be holy and filled with the spirit of happiness. May no dark powers ever be given shelter within any of these rooms but banished as soon as recognized.
MOTHER: Blessed be this living room. May we truly live within it as people of peace. May prayer and playfulness never be strangers within its walls.
Dining Room: Blessed be this place where we shall eat. May all our meals be sacraments of the presence of God as we are nourished at this altar-table.
Kitchen: Blessed be this shrine of the kitchen. Blessed be the herbs and spices, and the pots and pans used to prepare our meals. May the ill-seasonings of anger and bitterness never poison the meals prepared here.
Bathroom: Blessed be this bathroom. May the spirits of health and healing abide here and teach us to honor and love our bodies.
Blessed be these Bedrooms: Here we shall find rest, refreshment, rest and renewal. May the spirits of love and affection, together with the spirits of angelic care touch all who shall use these rooms.
FATHER: Let us pray as our Lord taught us to pray: “Our Father,…”
Lord our God, may Your divine name be always holy within our home. May You, as Holy Father and Divine Mother, lovingly care for all who shall live here. May Your kingdom come in this home as we love and respect one another. May we always do Your will by living in harmony and unity. May we never suffer from lack of bread, from a lack of all that we need to nourish our family. May the spirit of pardon and forgiveness reside within us and be always ready to heal our divisions. May the spirits of mirth and laughter, hope and faith, playfulness and pra
yer, compassion and love be perpetual guests in our home.
MOTHER: May our door be always open to those in need. Open be this door to the neighbor or to the stranger. May our friends who come to us in times of trouble and sorrow, find our door open to them and to their needs. May the holy light of God’s presence shine forth brightly in this home and be a blessing for all who shall live here and for everyone who shall come to this door.
May God’s holy blessing rest upon us all, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen+
“Prayers for the Domestic Church A Handbook for Worship in the Home” Edward Hays
42. Dear Steven Paul, Sarah Elizabeth and Baby! 2007 and 2008!
Blessing Prayer for a Mother with Child!
O Lord of All Life, hear our prayer as we ask Your blessing upon Your daughter, Sarah Elizabeth, who has been given the marvelous gift of life to bear within her body. Bless ‘Baby Green’s’ father, Steven Paul as he companions this new mother through these months of life and that he continue by Your grace to care, protect and love the mother for all their days to come…the greatest gift to his child. They in turn will shepherd this child to heaven.
We rejoice in this gift and pray that this child, alive within her, may soon join us in the light of day. May this child be healthy of body, mind, soul and spirit. May both this child, now hidden from our eyes, and the mother be under Your divine care.
May the Mother of our Lord, Mary, all the saints, and all holy women and holy mothers of past ages be with you.
May the gentle spirits of sun, wind and rain, the promise of spring, and the beauty of flowers be your constant companions for this is the month of May, the month of our Blessed Mother.
May Her strength help you to carry this child so that when that hour, hidden from the beginning of time, finally arrives, this child of God may come forth into the world wrapped in love, joy and peace.
May the blessing of God, compassionate as a Mother, of God the Son and the Holy Spirit rest upon you and upon the child and her grandparents, Victor Wayne and Constance Victoria and Michael Thomas and Judy Faye! Amen+
Lead, Kindly Light!
Uncle Hectór Rafael, Aunt Anna Bernadette and Antoine Adolfo
43. Dear David Charles, Katherine Anne and Baby! January 2008!
Blessing Prayer for a Mother with Child!
O Lord of All Life, hear our prayer as we ask Your blessing upon Your daughter, Katherine Anne, who has been given the marvelous gift of life to bear within her body. Bless ‘Baby Dawson’s’ father, David Charles as he companions this new mother through these months of life and that he continue by Your grace to care, protect and love the mother for all their days to come…the greatest gift to his child. They in turn will shepherd this child to heaven.
We rejoice in this gift and pray that this child, alive within her, may soon join us in the light of day. May this child be healthy of body, mind, soul and spirit. May both this child, now hidden from our eyes, and the mother be under Your divine care.
May the Mother of our Lord, Mary, all the saints, and all holy women and holy mothers of past ages be with you.
May the gentle spirits of sun, wind and rain, the promise of spring, and the beauty of flowers be your constant companions for this is the month of May, the month of our Blessed Mother.
May Her strength help you to carry this child so that when that hour, hidden from the beginning of time, finally arrives, this child of God may come forth into the world wrapped in love, joy and peace.
May the blessing of God, compassionate as a Mother, of God the Son and the Holy Spirit rest upon you and upon the child and her grandparents, Victor Wayne and Constance Victoria and David Charles, Sr. and Lisa Marie! Amen+
Lead, Kindly Light!
Uncle Hectór Rafael, Aunt Anna Bernadette and Antoine Adolfo
44. Today Hectór and I were married 30 years ago on 14 January 1978!
He was 41 and I was 30! I had prepared a silent prayer that we were to read just before walking down the aisle!
The prayers have lived in the Family Bible given to us as a wedding gift by
Sr. Yvonne Lerner, OSB and the Sisters of Holy Angels Convent!
This 30th year we read them again with all the more meaning, gratefulness, love and awe!
Thank you, Father! Thank you!
O God, our Father in heaven, we now kneel before you very happy, but somewhat nervous. We feel you brought us together in the beginning, helped our love grow and at this moment are with us in a special way. We ask that you stay by our side in the days ahead. Protect us from anything which might harm this marriage, give us courage when burdens come our way and teach us to forgive one another when we fall.
Hectór:
I ask from You the assistance I need to be a good husband and father. Never let me take my wife for granted or forget she needs to be loved. If you bless us with children, I promise to love them and give them the best possible example.
Bernadette:
I ask from You the assistance I need to be a good wife and mother. May I never forget how important my husband’s work is for his happiness or fail to give him encouragement. If you bless me with motherhood, I promise to give myself totally to the children, even to the point of stepping aside when they must walk alone.
We ask, finally, that in our old age we may love one another as deeply and cherish each other as much as we do at this very moment. May you grant these wishes which we offer through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
45. The Art of Marriage found among the cards sent to my parents in celebration of their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary in 1966. Wonderful!
A good marriage must be created. In the art of marriage the little things are the big things…It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say, “I love you,” at least once each day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives; it is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is finding room for the things of the spirit. It is common search for the good and the beautiful. It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.
From the New Book of the Art of Living by Wilferd A. Peterson
handed me this prayer that they had read together through tear-filled eyes…
O, the power of words offered in prayer is a river filled with desire and supplication…
AIRBORNE PRAYER
Almighty GOD, who has brought us together in this association to uphold the ideals of the Airborne Trooper, keep us faithful and true to the finest things of American life. Sear in our memories our wartime experiences so that they may be the inspiration of our peacetime activity. Strengthen and protect the armed forces of our nation that they may be a safeguard against those who would overthrow our way of life. Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with aggression. Help us to use our freedom for the maintenance of justice among men and nations. Grant that we may do this and all things in the memory of our departed comrades, whose presence is among us and never to be forgotten. Bind us to Thee and each other in steadfast loyalty to the ideals for which we offered our lives in battle. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
47. VATICAN CITY, 20 APR 2008 (VIS) - In New York at 9.30 a.m. local time today, the Pope visited Ground Zero, the name now used to refer to the site once occupied by the twin towers of the World Trade Centre.
On 11 September 2001 two aircraft crashed into the twin towers, destroying them and a number of neighbouring buildings in a terrorist attack which cost the lives of 2,896 people. The site today is a vast 80-metre deep crater, surrounded by a fence and marked with a cross.
In 2002 the reconstruction of the World Trade Centre was put out for tender in a competition won by the architect Daniel Libensky. Today, Ground Zero is a construction site where work is scheduled to finish in the year 2012. The main building of the new complex will be the "Freedom Tower", 541 metres high.
Benedict XVI arrived at Ground Zero accompanied by Cardinal Edward Egan, archbishop of New York. Awaiting him there were Michael Bloomberg, mayor of the city; David A. Paterson and John Corzine, respectively governors of New York and of New Jersey; 24 people representing the forces that responded to the attack of 11 September, and a number of injured and relatives of the victims.
The Holy Father knelt for a few minutes of silent prayer for the victims of the attack, then lit a candle before pronouncing the following prayer:
"O God of love, compassion, and healing,
look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions,
who gather today at this site,
the scene of incredible violence and pain.
"We ask you in your goodness
to give eternal light and peace
to all who died here -
the heroic first-responders:
our fire fighters, police officers,
emergency service workers, and Port Authority personnel,
along with all the innocent men and women
who were victims of this tragedy
simply because their work or service
brought them here on 11 September 2001.
"We ask you, in your compassion
to bring healing to those
who, because of their presence here that day,
suffer from injuries and illness.
Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families
and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.
Give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope.
"We are mindful as well
of those who suffered death, injury, and loss
on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Our hearts are one with theirs
as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.
"God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.
Turn to your way of love
those whose hearts and minds
are consumed with hatred.
"God of understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost here
may not have been lost in vain.
Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all".
The prayer over, the Pope greeted survivors of the attack, relatives of some of the victims, and members of the rescue squads. Finally, he imparted his blessing to those present.
The Liturgy of the Hours is the title given to the four-volume breviary containing the official prayer of the canonical hours by which a day is consecrated to God. This set of books is issued by the Church of Rome. A similar prayer service has formed part of the Christian Church's public worship from the earliest times, and Christians of both Eastern and Western tradition celebrate such services under various names. In Greek the corresponding services are Book of Hours. The Liturgy of the Hours of the Latin Rite was formerly called the Divine Office (the Duty for God).
The custom of reciting prayers at certain hours of the day or night goes back to the Jews, from whom Christians have borrowed it. The early Christians continued the Jewish practice of reciting prayers at certain hours of the day or night. In the Psalms we find expressions like "in the morning I offer you my prayer"; "At midnight I will rise and thank you" ; "Evening, morning and at noon I will cry and lament"; "Seven times a day I praise you". The Apostles observed the Jewish custom of praying at the third, sixth and ninth hour and at midnight (Acts 10:3, 9; 16:25; etc)
By the end of the fifth century, the Liturgy of the Hours was composed of a Vigil or Night Service and seven day offices, of which Prime and Compline seem to be the last to appear. These eight hours were known by the following names:
· Matins (during the night), sometimes referred to as Vigils or Nocturns; it is now called the Office of Readings. ~the night watch~
· Lauds or Dawn Prayer (at Dawn) ~the coming of the light~
· Prime or Early Morning Prayer (First Hour = 6 a.m.) ~ deliberate beginning~
· Terce or Mid-Morning Prayer (Third Hour = 9 a.m.) ~ blessing~
· Sext or Midday Prayer (Sixth Hour = 12 noon~ fervor and commitment
· None or Mid-Afternoon Prayer (Ninth Hour = 3 p.m.) ~ the shadows grow longer~
· Vespers or Evening Prayer ("at the lighting of the lamps") ~lighting the lamp~
· Compline or Night Prayer (before retiring) ~completing the circle!
In the Roman Catholic Church, Prime was suppressed by the Second Vatican Council, reducing the number of canonical hours to the Biblical seven.
Saint Benedict of Nursia (c. 480 – 543) is credited with having given this organization to the Liturgy of the Hours.
The Liturgy of the Hours became more elaborate requiring not only a Psalter for the psalms, a lectionary for the Scripture readigs, other books for readings and chants. These were usually of large size, to enable several monks to chant together from the same book.
Smaller books called breviaries (abridgment) were developed to indicate the format of the daily office and assist in identifying the texts to be chosen. These developed into books that gave in abbreviated form (because they omitted the chants) and in small lettering the whole of the texts and that could be carried when traveling. By the 14th century, these breviaries contained the entire text of the canonical hours. The invention of printing made it possible to produce them in great numbers.
49. Therefore, since we are being observed by so great a cloud of witnesses who have gone before us, let us rid ourselves of all things that hinder us and let us run with courage and endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1
50. I AM A VETERAN
By Andrea C. Brett
You may not know me the first time we meet
I’m just another you see on the street
But I am the reason you walk and breathe free
I am the reason for your liberty
I am a Veteran
I work in the local factory all day
I own the restaurant just down the way
I sell you insurance, I start your IV
I’ve got the best-looking grandkids you’ll ever see
I’m your grocer, your banker
Your child’s schoolteacher
I’m your plumber, your barber
Your family’s preacher
But there’s part of me your don’t know very well
Just listen a moment, I’ve a story to tell
I am a Veteran.
I joined the service while still in my teens
I traded my prom dress for camouflage greens
I’m the first in my family to do something like this
I followed my father, like he followed his
Defying my fears and hiding my doubt
I married my sweetheart before I shipped out
I missed Christmas, then Easter, the birth of my son
But I knew I was doing what had to be done
I served on the battlefront, I served on the base
I bound up the wounded, and begged for God’s grace
I gave orders to fire, I followed commands
I marched into conflict in far distant lands
In the jungle, the desert, on mountains and shores
In bunkers, in tents, on dank earthen floors
While I fought on the ground, in the air, on the sea
My family and friends were home praying for me
For the land of the free and the home of the brave
I faced by demons in foxholes and caves
Then one dreaded day, without drummer or fife
I lost an arm, my buddy lost his life
I came home and moved on, but forever was changed
The perils of war in my memory remained
I don’t really say much, I don’t feel like I can
But I left home a child, and came home a man
There are thousands like me, thousands more who are gone
But their legacy lives as time marches on
White crosses in rows, and names cared in queue
Remind us of what these brave souls had to do
I’m part of a fellowship, a strong mighty band
Of each man and each woman who has served this great land
And when Old Glory waves, I stand proud, I stand tall
I helped keep her flying over you, over all
I am a Veteran
Copyright Andrea C. Brett 2003 all rights reserved for permission to use or to order additional copies call (877) 252-7388
51. Prayer Thomas Merton “Thoughts in Solitude”
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
52. Words of Fr. Richard John Neuhaus (d. January 2009) as recalled by his friend Father Raymond J. DeSouza… National Catholic Reporter January 25, 2009
“Stay close to the Mass. That’s what will prepare you and see you through. For if every day you are at the altar, if every day you are about the suffering and death of the Lord, then one day, when suffering shall appear in your life, you will greet him like an old friend, for you have seen him every day. Then you will be able to say to him, ‘Friend, I have been expecting you!’ The liturgy was the real work, and Fr. Richard knew that it was the best preparation for dealing with the reality of the fallen world around us. Once asked the secret of his remarkable productivity, he responded: “I say my morning prayers before I read the morning newspaper.” Encountering the enduring reality allows one to master the passing reality.”
53. Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours, page 2027…
Office of Readings Non-Biblical Readings for Ordinary Time
Reading 12: Let us exercise our desire in prayer Augustine: Letter to Proba…
…”After all, we pray to one who, as the Lord himself tells us, knows what we need before we ask for it. Why he should ask us to pray, when he knows what we need before we ask him, may perplex us if we do not realize that our Lord and God does not want to know what we want (for he cannot fail to know it) but wants us rather to exercise our desire through our prayers, so that we may be able to receive what he is preparing to give us. His gift is very great indeed, but our capacity is too small and limited to receive it. That is why we are told: Enlarge your desires, do not bear the yoke with unbelievers.
54. ACT OF ABANDONMENT TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE
Congregation of Divine Providence, San Antonio, TX
Providence of my God, I adore you in all your designs. I place my destiny in your hands, confiding to you all that I have, all that I am, and all that I am to become – my body and my soul, my health and reputation, my life, my death, and my eternal salvation. As I rely entirely upon you and expect all from your goodness, I will not give myself up to any useless anxiety. I confide to you the success of all my undertakings, and in all difficulties I will have recourse to you as a never-failing source of help. I know that you will either preserve me from the evils I dread, or turn them to my good and your glory. Peaceful and contented in all, I will allow your Providence to govern my life without worry or ever-eagerness
Holy, wise, generous, and loving Providence! I thank you for the tender care you have taken of me up to this moment. I humbly and earnestly entreat you to continue the same for me; direct all that I do, guide me in your ways, govern me at every moment of my life, and bring me to the fullness of being that you have destined for me from all eternity. May I please you and give you glory forever. Amen!
54-A. PROVIDENCE PRAYER
May Providence be with you in peace,
Stilling the heart that hammers with fear, and may your peace go out to those who are troubled and anxious. May the blessing of peace be with you.
May Providence be with in strength,
Holding you in strong-fingered hands, and may you be the Sacrament of God’s strength to those whose hand you hold. May the blessing of strength be with you.
May Providence be with you in gentleness,
Caressing you with sunlight and rain and wind. May God’s tenderness shine through you to warm all who are hurt and lonely. May the blessing of gentleness be with you.
May Providence be with you in love,
Listening to you, drawing you close. May God’s love glow in your eyes and meet love glowing in the eyes of your friends. May the blessing of love and the blessing of friendship be with you.
May the Hold God of Providence be with you.
55. Prayer for our Men and Women in Military Service
(From the ‘Prayer Board for Loved Ones Serving’, Our Lady Queen of Heaven Day Chapel)!
O Prince of Peace, we humbly ask You protection for all men and women in military service. Give them unflinching courage and defend with honor, dignity and devotion the rights of all who are imperiled by injustice and evil. Guard our churches, our homes, our schools, our hospitals, our factories, our buildings and all those within from harm and peril. Protect our land and its peoples from enemies within and without. Grant an early peace with victory founded with justice. Instill in our hearts and minds of men and women everywhere a firm purpose to live forever in peace and good will toward all. Amen!
56. A-CDP Monthly Reflection
A publication of the Associate Office of the
Sisters of Divine Providence, San Antonio, Texas
Opening Prayer: Loving and provident God, we come to you with our strengths and our weaknesses, with our light and dark sides. We ask your blessing to be upon us and all those we love this day. May we accept and love ourselves while we also stretch and grow into ever greater wholeness. (Taken from, “The Cup of Our Life,” by Joyce Rupp SM)
The following is taken from The Directory of the Sisters of Divine Providence, by Blessed John Martin Moye on “Abandonment to Divine Providence” pp. 84-85
. . . to practice more perfectly this abandonment to Providence, do not hoard anything for the future. If you have more than you need, see first if one of your Sisters in the neighborhood lacks necessities and give her your surplus; otherwise, distribute it among the poor. To accustom yourselves to this practice, remember what happened to the Israelites in the desert when God made the manna fall from heaven to feed them. He had forbidden them to gather a supply for two days. However, some of them, reasoning according to human prudence, thought it good to provide for the next day, and so they gathered much more than was needed for one day. But God permitted this manna to be completely spoiled the next day to show them that human precautions are useless when they go against the will of God. (Exodus 16)
The Savior also tells us in the Gospel, “Enough, then, of worrying about tomorrow. Let tomorrow take care of itself. Today has troubles enough of its own.” (Mt. 6:34) This does not rule out making provisions in good time; it is the order of Providence to gather the wheat during harvest time. Neither does it forbid that when you lack what is necessary you try to get it somewhere. First make your needs known to the pastors and to other charitable persons; following Providence means accepting the resources it offers.
Reflection: Remember an experience when you “gathered more than was needed” for your well-being, whether it was things, in a relationship or in your work situation. What makes it difficult to trust that tomorrow Providence will provide what you need? When have you given others of your surplus? When have you been the recipient of others’ surplus? How have you let your needs be known in the proper time? Which people have been “Providence” providing for you when you have been in need?
Closing Prayer: Providence of my God, I adore you in all your designs. I place my destiny in your hands, confiding to you all that I have, all that I am, and all that I am to become – my body and my soul, my health and reputation, my life, my death, and my eternal salvation. As I rely entirely upon you and expect all from your goodness, I will not give myself up to any useless anxiety. . . Peaceful and contented in all, I will allow your Providence to govern my life without worry or over eagerness. . . May I please you and give you glory forever. Amen. (Act of Abandonment to Divine Providence – Blessed John Martin Moye)
We come to this table today, O Lord, humble and thankful and glad.
We thank You first for the great miracle of life,
For the gift of being human, for the capacity of love.
We thank You for joys both great and simple –
For wonder, dreams and hope;
For the newness of each day;
For laughter and song and a merry heart:
For compassion waiting within to be kindled;
For the patience of friends and the smile of a stranger:
For the earth and trees and
Heavens and the fruit of all three;
For the wisdom of the old;
For the courage of the young;
For the strength that comes when needed;
For this family united here today;
Of those to whom much is given, much is required.
May we live our lives in such a way that reflects
Your unconditional bountifulness and love.
In thanksgiving we pray. Amen.
Today, the twenty-fifth day of December,
unknown ages from the time when God created the heavens and the
earth, and then formed man and woman in his own image.
Several thousand years after the flood,
when God made the rainbow shine forth as a sign of the covenant.
Twenty-one centuries from the time of Abraham and Sarah;
thirteen centuries after Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt.
Eleven hundred years from the time of Ruth and the Judges;
one thousand years from the anointing of David as king;
in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel.
In the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundations of the city of Rome.
The forty-second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;
the whole world being at peace,
Jesus Christ, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father,
desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming,
being conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and nine months having passed since his conception,
was born in Bethlehem of Judea by the Virgin Mary.
Today is the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.
(The Gloria and opening prayer follow)
59. PRAYERS OF CARDINAL NEWMAN
60. Blessings From the Kitchen!
One day in the year that my Mom was dying I found myself wandering in to a hairdressers’ shop close to my home. I had not an appointment but the sweet smiling lady took me in anyway. She was gentle in slight conversation which was a balm to my spirit. Ten years later she still makes magic on hair that is turning silver as our friendship has deepened; I respect her greatly! She can do anything with her many talents, such as publishing a cookbook for her legions of fans! My sister titled the book “Beauty and the Feast!” and I was honored to pen the Prayer.
A) ‘The Rattle in the Kitchen and Our Intentions’
“The home is our ‘domestic church’. The kitchen holds the altar. There is the fire that heats, warms, cooks and illuminates those we love as well as the stranger and guest. Our table holds the sacred vessels of love chipped and handed down but, oh so precious for serving others. Heavenly Father, bless the food that is prepared in the calm and during hurried times. Give me calmness of heart to focus on why we want to feed and converse with those we love. You did and called it The Last Supper! We must do this every day. Give us the patience in the gathering and love in the preparation. Bless our food that it might be nutritious for our body and soul as together we glorify Your Name!
Thank you for our friend, Betty Hamilton who loves so as to organize this cookbook for her extended families. It is we who are enriched internally by her kind and wise heart and externally by her skilled hand which makes magic! Amen!”
Lead, Kindly Light!
Gratefully submitted by Bernadette Monlezun-Ponton for “Beauty and the Feast!” 30 March 2004
Lead, Kindly Light!
60-B) 29 May 2010 Second Printing of the Popular Cookbook, Second Prayer as Requested!
“For ‘Our Betty Hamilton Reed’ who serves all in kindness of heart and skill with the scissors while giving all her listening ear and smile that lights up any room! A true ‘Beauty’ she is and serves up for you in this sequel a true ‘Feast” for your loved ones.
WE GIVE THANKS…A BLESSING PRAYER!
We give thanks to our Heavenly Father as we gather as members of His Holy Family…
We give thanks for the hands that prepare the meals we share…
We give thanks for the labor to grow the bounty we eat…
We give thanks for those who gather at our table to share our meals…
We give thanks for those who serve with open hearts…
We give thanks for the nourishment that feeds our soul…
And in this nourishment may we be life for one another by
Giving Thanks and Glory in Your Name! AMEN!
Gratefully submitted by two of a veritable army of Betty’s Friends!”
Renee Reina and Bernadette Monlezun-Pontón
61. …on the back of a Death Card…
Do not ask me to remember.
Don’t try to make me understand.
Let me rest and know you’re with me.
Kiss my cheek and hold my hand.
I’m confused beyond your concept.
I am sad and sick and lost.
All I know is that I need you
To be with me at all cost.
Do not lose your patience with me.
Do not scold or curse or cry.
I can’t help the way I’m acting,
Can’t be different ‘though I try.
Just remember that I need you,
That the best of me is gone.
Please don’t fail to stand beside me,
Love me ‘till my life is done.
Author Unknown.
Readings and Prayers for Gift-Opening
How simply wrapped, this richest Gift, from heav’n to earth come down: In swaddle lain upon the hay, not even tinsel for a crown. No bow adorns this present Lord nor ribbons wrap him tight; but hugged in warmest mother’s love against the chill of Bethl’em’s night. This is the richest Gift of God; salvation’s promise won! In swaddle lain upon the hay; this present Lord: God’s only Son.
A. Before Gift-Opening
Heavenly Father,
So simply wrapped, your richest Gift was once bestowed to humankind. In these gifts, some simply wrapped, some sumptuous to behold, let us see reflected the strong and saving love once given to us in Bethlehem. In Christ our Saviour’s name. Amen.
B. After Gift-Opening
Lord Jesus Christ,
In your birth we see God’s richest gift come down – it is the riches of heaven itself. As our celebration draws to a close, come with us, Lord Jesus. Keep us mindful that the richness of your presence is ever with us. Bless us to be a blessing. We offer you our thanks and praise. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, we humbly beg of Thee by Thy most Loving Heart, not to forsake Thy flock in its affliction, O Eternal Shepherd, but to renew in it that spirit which Thou didst pour forth most abundantly upon Thy apostles. Call, we beseech Thee, a great many souls to the priestly and religious state, and do Thou fire with zeal those whom Thou chooses. Perfect them in virtue, strengthen them with Thy spirit against all adversity. O Jesus, give us priests and religious according to Thy Heart. Amen.
64. Learning Christ
(…Another in her precious little brown box of memories.)
Teach me, my Lord, to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life; in disappointments, in the thoughtlessness of others, in the insincerity of those I trusted, in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied.
Let me put myself aside, to think of the happiness of others, to hide my little pains and heartaches, so that I may be the only one to suffer from them.
Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path.
Let me so use it that it may mellow me, not harden nor embitter me that it may make me patient, not irritable; that it may make be broad in my forgiveness, not narrow, haughty and overbearing.
May no one be less good for having come within my influence. No one less pure, less true, less kind, less noble for having been a fellow-traveler in our journey toward Eternal Life.
As I go my rounds from one distraction to another, let me whisper, from time to time, a word of love to Thee. May my life be lived in the supernatural, full of power for good, and strong in its purpose of sanctity.
65. On the back of a vintage Christ-in-the-manger holy card from the little brown box…
Our Lady of the Lake Church, Lake Arthur, Louisiana
Dear Parishioner:
If ever we needed the blessing of God and the reign of Christ, The Prince of Peace, sadly we need it now. In His infinite knowledge, God is aware of our needs, but it is His way to have us ‘Ask, Seek, Knock.’
On the birthday of Jesus let our hearts be as the crib that held Him on the first Christmas when we receive Him in His Sacramental Presence. Bring Him back to the world by putting Him in our own lives first.
Join with us in the Memento at all the masses on Christmas that God will protect and be with our beloved boys and girls who fight for our freedom, at home and abroad. Soon, very soon may He effect their safe return, in Victory, in Peace to our homes and hearts.
God bless you and yours at Christmas and throughout the New Year.
Devotedly yours in Christ,
Rev. Gustave Bereube, Pastor 1942-1950
courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown out of all of this, and when they come to judgement, let all the fruits we have borne be their forgiveness.”
This heart-wrenching prayer was discovered by the allied forces when they liberated the Ravensbruck concentration camp. It was written by an unknown prisoner and left by the body of a dead child.
Complete Trust in God.
Do not look forward to the trials and crosses of this life with dread and fear. Rather, look at them with full confidence that, as they arise, God, to whom you belong, will deliver you from them.
He has guided and guarded you thus far in life. Do you but hold fast to his dear hand, and he will lead you safely through all trials. Whenever you cannot stand, he will carry you lovingly in his arms.
Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. The same Eternal Father who cares for you today will take good care of you tomorrow and every day of your life. Either he will shield you from suffering or he will give you the unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace then and put aside all useless thoughts, vain dreads, and anxious imaginations. (St. Francis de Sales).
In Time of Pain
O God, give me the strength I need, to bear my pain. Give me patience to endure this time of inactivity.
Save me from every weakness of self-pity and complaint.
Teach me to think of life as a continuing upward growth in which each trial or hardship can be used to reach a greater height of character.
May I have courage and trust.
In Time of Recovery
May God grant me His blessed healing and give me the patience, hope and courage to endure the pains of my illness.
May God so endow the physician with insight and skill that I be soon restored to perfect health of body and mind and return to the joy of my loved ones.
May I as never before value the blessings of health and render thanks to God, the merciful healer, the source of all blessing.
Walk a little plainer daddy said a little boy so frail
I’m following in your footsteps and I don’t want to fail.
Sometimes your steps are very plain sometimes they are hard to see
So walk a little plainer daddy for you are leading me.
I know that once you walked this way many years ago
And what you did along the way I’d really like to know.
For sometimes when I am tempted I don’t know what to do
So walk a little plainer daddy for I must follow you
Some day when I’m grown up you are like I want to be
Then I will have a little boy who will want to follow me.
And I would want to lead him right and help him to be true
So walk a little plainer daddy for we must follow you.
“And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
While going through ‘paper’ on Arthur Avenue I came across this wonderful Program Card with this poem on the back; Louisiana Oil Marketers “Prayer Breakfast” held at the New Orleans Hilton on July 22, 1978 in New Orleans, Louisiana attended by my father and mother. Closing song “How Great Thou Art” … I can just hear them singing together side by side in complete harmony, and saying how they can’t wait to get home to the children!! They never went too far or stayed away too long when their children were young.
Lord – Thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing old. In fact, some treat me as though I am old. Please Lord, take away my craving to try and straighten out everybody’s affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody, helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it at all – but Thou knowst, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.
Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details – give me wings to get to the point quickly. Help me to take the hint and not be offended if someone says, “You told me that before.” Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing and the love of telling about them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.
I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others but help me to endure them with patience. I am not asking for an improved memory but a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that on occasion I may be wrong and make me big enough to acknowledge it.
Keep me reasonably sweet – I am not asking to be made a saint – some of them are hard to live with – but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected people. Give me the grace to tell them so.
Thanks for a comfortable home in which to live and also the Social Security check that comes on the third of each month even though I am not able to put in full time any more. Please bless all senior citizens that they may find peace and comfort in knowing Thee too. May I not disappoint Thee, Lord, but be usable to the end and even though I have little to offer; give me a smile for everyone and as I offer this prayer, make me willing to help to answer it because I pray in the name of my constant companion, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Author unknown, received from Legionnaire Bill Goodnight
My God, here are my children; I give them to you.
Reach out and touch them with the finger of Your love so they will stop where they are, sense Your presence, and turn to You.
Take them and make them what You want, not what I want;
Call them to adventures You have planned for them, not to what I aspire for them.
Keep them from sin, but if they sin, draw them back to You.
Keep them from smallness of spirit. Help them to know themselves and enjoy the person ‘you created them to be.
Help them to use their gifts to serve You.
Help them to plunge deep into the mystery of their union with You and love You above all things.
As for me, Help me to love them without possessiveness.
Help me to be firm and protect them when I must.
Help me to be patient while they strive to find themselves.
Help me to respect them for what You make them to be.
Help me to guide them with Your wisdom.
Help me to love letting them go.
And when the work is done, and they are formed and raised and gone,
Help me to turn back to You, without my children, and continue the journey,
Wiser, with more understanding of You and
Your way with men, because I have borne children of my own.
71. Received December 2011 from Sr. Mary John Seyler, Holy Angels Convent, AR!
Letter from Jesus!
Dear Children,
It has come to my attention that many of are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you’ve forgotten that I wasn’t actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival, although I do appreciate being remembered anytime. How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be plenty around town.
Stop worrying about he fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish. I actually spoke of that once in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each pf our tasks are. If you’ve forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1-8. If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is a wish list. Choose something from it:
+ Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to military persons away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell me all the time.
+ Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
+ Instead of giving children and grandchildren a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down there. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
+ Pick someone who has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
+ Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make a difference.
+ Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of Mine.
Don’t forget I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short, I’ll help you. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember.
I love you,
Jesus
72. Cousin Anne Fautt’s …‘Daily Prayer to the Blessed Mother!’ February 2012
Take my hand, O Blessed Mother
hold me firmly lest I fall
I grow nervous while walking and
humbly on Thee call.
Guide me over every crossing
watch me when I'm on the stairs
Let me know that You're beside me
listen to my fervent prayers.
Bring me to my destination
safely along the way
Bless my every undertaking
and my duties for the day.
And when evening creeps upon me
I'll never fear to be alone
Once again, O Blessed Mother
take my hand and lead me home.
Whatever cross you are bearing, no matter how heavy or hard, was crafted just for you.
So don’t resent it – bear it, wear it and wait for the reward. At the end of the suffering, you will find the meaning and purpose for the pain.
Sister Dulce, 2011
(…on the back of a Memorial Card for an eleven-year-old boy named Kannon…)
When I come to the end of the road and the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room, why cry for a soul set free?
Miss me a little, but no too long , and not with your head bowed low,
Remember the love that we once shared. Miss me, but let me go.
This is a journey that we all must take, and each must go alone. It’s all part of the Master’s Plan. It’s a step on the road to home. Miss me, but let me go. When you are lonely and sick of heart, go to the friends we know, and bury your sorrows in doing deeds. Miss me, but let me go.
The time may be delayed, the manner unexpected, but the answer is sure to come.
Not a tear of sacred sorrow, not a breath of holy desire, poured out to GOD, will ever be lost, but, in HIS own time and way, will be wafted back again in clouds of mercy and fall in showers of blessings on you and on those of whom you pray.
The good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
May songs of the angels welcome you and guide you along your way. May the smiles of the martyrs greet your own as darkness turns into day. Every tear will be undone and death will be no more, as songs of the angels bring you home before the face of God.
Blessed are the mothers who make their peace with spilled milk and with mud, for of such is the kingdom of childhood.
Blessed are the mother who engages not in the comparison of her child with others, for precious unto each is the rhythm of his own growth.
Blessed are the mothers who have learned laughter, for it is the music of the child’s world.
Blessed and wise are those mothers who understand the goodness of time, for they make it not a sword that kills growth but a shield to protect.
Blessed and mature are they who without anger can say ”no,” for comforting to the child is the security of firm decisions.
Blessed is the gift of consistency, for it is heart’s–ease in childhood.
Blessed are they who accept the awkwardness of growth, for they are aware of the choice between marred furnishings and damaged personalities.
Blessed are the teachable, for knowledge brings understanding, and understanding brings love. Blessed are the women who, in the midst of the unpromising mundane, give love, for they bestow the greatest of all gifts to each other, to their children and in an ever-widening circle to their fellow mothers.
In the Church Bulletin, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Rayne, LA ~ Mother’s Day 2012!
So many people imagine that death cruelly separates us from our loved ones. Even pious people are led to believe this great and sad mistake. When our loved ones die, they do not leave us. They remain. They do not go to some dark and distant place. They simply begin their eternity. We do not see them because we are still in the darkness of the world. But their spiritual eyes, filled with the light of heaven, are always watching us as they wait for the day when we shall share their perfect joy. We are all born for heaven and one by one we end this life of tears to begin our life of love in endless happiness.
I have often reflected upon this beautiful truth and found it the greatest and surest comfort in time of mourning. A firm faith in the real and continual presence of our loved ones has brought the conviction and consolation that death has not destroyed them, nor carried them away. Rather it has given them life! A life with power to know fully and to love perfectly. With this new life and new power our loved ones are always present to us, knowing and loving us more than ever before.
The tears that dampen our eyes in times of mourning are tears of homesickness, tears of longing for our loved ones. But it is we who are away from home, not they. Death has been for them a doorway to an invisible to our worldly eyes, we cannot see them so near us. Yet, they are with us, lovingly and tenderly waiting for the day when we, too, will enter the doorway of our eternal home. No, death is not a separation. It is a preparation for eternal union with those we love, in the peace and joy of heaven.
…Found among my mother’s souvenirs …author unknown.
Almighty God, Father of all nations,
For freedom you have set us free in Christ Jesus (Gal 5: 1)
We praise and bless you for the gift of religious liberty,
the foundation of human rights, justice, and the common good.
Grant to our leaders the wisdom to protect and promote our liberties:
By your grace may we have the courage to defend them, for ourselves and for all those who live in this blessed land.
We ask this through the intercession of Mary the Immaculate, our patroness, and in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, with whom you live and reign, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
…Our Lady Queen of Heaven Sunday Bulletin, 17 June 2012 in preparation for the ‘Fortnight of Freedom’, fourteen days from June 21, 2012 – the vigil of the Feast of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More – to July 4, 2012, Independence Day in dedication to this “fortnight for freedom” – a great hymn of prayer for our country.
81. This day is blessed by God; it is God’s own and now let us go into it. You walk in this day as God’s own messenger; whomever you meet, you meet in God’s own way. You are there to be the presence of the Lord God, the presence of Christ, the presence of the Spirit, the presence of the Gospel—this is your function on this particular day. As to the day, if you accept that this day was blessed of God, chosen by God with His own hand, then every person you meet is a gift of God, every circumstance you will meet is a gift of God, whether it is bitter or sweet, whether you like it or dislike it. It is God’s own gift to you and if you take it that way, then you can face any situation. But then you must face it with the readiness that anything may happen, whether you enjoy it or not, and if you walk in the name of the Lord through a day which has come fresh and new out of His own Hands and has been blessed for you to live with it, then you can make prayer and life really like the two sides of one coin. You act and pray in one breath, as it were, because all the situations that follow one another require God’s blessing.
I believe that I shall see Your goodness, Lord, in every passing day; in this moment, Lord. To wait for my God with courage is my hope. Give me Your courage, Lord. Help me wait for You.
An ‘old prayer’ faithfully prayed by Renee A. Reina
82- ‘Prayer to the Mother of God,’ Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception dedication in Washington, D.C. 1959 AND ‘Novena to the Mother of God for the Nation 2012.’
Most Holy Trinity: Our Father in heaven, who chose Mary as the fairest of your daughters; Holy Spirit, who chose Mary as your spouse; God the Son, who chose Mary as your Mother; in union with Mary, we adore your majesty and acknowledge your supreme, eternal dominion authority.
Most Holy Trinity, we put the United States of America into the hands of Mary Immaculate in order that she may present the country to you. Through her we wish to thank you for the great resources of this land and for the freedom which has been its heritage. Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy on the Catholic Church in America. Grant us peace. Have mercy on our president and on all the officers of our government. Grant us a fruitful economy born of justice and charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor. Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the precious gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession of our Mother, have mercy on the sick, the poor, the tempted, sinners – on all who are in need.
Mary, Immaculate Virgin, our Mother, patroness of our land, we praise you and honor you and give ourselves to you. Protect us from all harm. Pray for us, that acting always according to your will and the will of your divine Son, we may live and die pleasing to God. Amen.
Yours is a special calling, you who work with the soil.
There are added blessings found in your daily toil.
For you are always working hand in hand with God,
Producing the great harvests from the earth’s sod.
And while you labor tirelessly from morning until the night,
You can see God’s miracles unfold before your sight.
Yes, you’ve a special calling and your reward is this…
To see the tender shoot of rice receive a sunlit kiss.
And then see it mature with the help from One above.
Ah! You can sense the power of the Almighty’s LOVE.
You can know God’s promise as you witness spring’s rebirth..
You know eternal life awaits beyond this life on earth.
Author Unknown
Found among Dad and Mom’s ‘paper’ on Arthur Avenue…November 2012.
“Early Christians gave new meaning to the Roman proverb Omne vivum ex ovo, “All life comes from an egg.” A hatching chick represented the risen Christ emerging from the shell of a tomb on Easter morning. In 1610, a prayer by Pope Paul V blessed the egg, “that it may become a wholesome account of the Resurrection of Our Lord.” Eggs prohibited during the Lenten fast were then reintroduced at the Easter meal and also shared as decorated gifts.
In short order, the Easter Resurrection is Christmas, sunny-side-up! When one is celebrated, so is the other! The infant Jesus is wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a borrowed manger just as the body of the crucified Christ is wrapped in cloth and laid in a borrowed tomb. The wood of the manger and the wood of the cross are from the same Tree of Life to form the quintessential “womb to the tomb” theology:
“The Virgin today brings into the world the Eternal
And the earth offers a cave to the Inaccessible.
The angels and shepherds praise him
And the magi advance with the star,
For you are born for us,
Little Child, God eternal!”
Such a seemingly modest beginning is best viewed by the magnitude of its end. According to Saint John the Evangelist, “In the beginning was the Work…and the Work became flesh.” This is not simply a matter of what came first – the figurative chicken or the egg – as it is a fulfillment of God’s Promise from the beginning of time to the end of eternity!
There fared a mother driven forth
Out of an inn to roam;
In the place where she was homeless
All men are at home.
The crazy stable close at hand,
Shaking timber and shifting sand,
Grew a stronger thing to abide and stand
Than the square stones of Rome.
For men are homesick in their homes,
And strangers under the sun,
And they lay on their heads in a foreign land
Whenever the day is done.
Here we have battle and blazing eyes,
And chance and honour and high surprise,
But our homes are under miraculous skies
Where the yule tale was begun…
To an open house in the evening
Home shall men come,
To an older place than Eden
And a taller town than Rome.
To the end of the way of the wandering star,
To the things that cannot be and that are,
To the place where God was homeless
And all men are at home.
My Lord and my Saviour, support me in that hour in the strong arms of Thy Sacraments, and by the fresh fragrance of Thy consolations. Let the absolving words be said over me, and the holy oil sign and seal me, and Thy Own Body be my food, and Thy Blood my sprinkling; and let my sweet Mother Mary, breathe on me and my Angel whisper peace to me, and my glorious Saints…smile upon me; that in them all, and through them all, I may receive the gift of perseverance; and die, as I desire to live, in Thy faith, in Thy Church, in Thy service, and in Thy love. Amen.
I want to teach my students how to live this life on earth
to face its struggles and its strife and improve their worth
not just the lesson in a book or how the rivers flow
but how to choose the proper path wherever they may go
to understand eternal truth and know the right from wrong
and gather all the beauty of a flower and a song
for if I help the world to grow in wisdom and in grace
then I shall feel that I have won and I have filled my place
and so I ask Your guidance, God That I may do my part
for character and confidence and happiness of heart.
O God, Who wills not the death of a sinner, but that he be converted and live
grant we beseech You, through the intercession of the most Blessed Mary, ever-virgin, St. Joseph, Her spouse, Blessed Junipero Serra and all the saints
an increase of laborers for Your church, fellow laborers with Christ to spend and consume themselves for souls
Through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen!
Everything below heaven changes: spring, summer, autumn, each has its turn. The fortunes of the world change. What was high lies low; what was low rises high. Riches take wings and flee
away; bereavements happen. Friends become enemies, and enemies, friends. Our wishes, aims, and plans change. There is nothing stable but
you, O My God! And you are the center and life of all who change, who trust you as their Father, who look to you, and who are content to put themselves into your hands.
I know, O Lord, I must go through trial, temptation, and much conflict, if I am to come to you. I do not know what lies before me, but I know this. I know, too, that if you are not with me, my change will be for the worse, not for the better. Whatever fortune I have, rich or poor, healthy or sick, with friends or without, all will turn to evil if I am not sustained by the Unchangeable. All will turn to good if I have Jesus with me, yesterday and today the same, and forever.
“O, Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all the suffering they have inflicted on us, but remember the fruits we have brought thanks to our suffering – our camaraderie, our loyalty, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this. And when our persecutors come to their judgements let all the fruits that we have borne be there forgiveness.”
This holy card was found in my dear mother’s prayer book…author unknown.
Little headaches, little heartaches, little griefs of every day,
Little trials and vexations, how they throng around our way!
One great cross, immense and heavy, so it seems to our weak will,
Might be borne with resignation, but these many small ones kill.
Yet all life is formed of small things, little leaves make up the trees,
Many tiny drops of water blending make the mighty seas.
Let us not then by impatience mar the beauty of the whole.
But for love of Jesus bear all in the silence of our soul.
Asking of Him for grace sufficient to sustain us through each loss,
And to treasure each small offering as a splinter from His Cross.
God of endless love, ever caring, ever strong always present, always just; You gave your only son to save us by his blood on the Cross.
Gentle Jesus, shepherd of peace, join to your own suffering the pain of all who have been hurt in body, mind, and spirit by those who betrayed the trust placed in them.
Hear the cries of our brothers and sisters who have been gravely harmed, and the cries of those who love them. Soothe their restless hearts with hope, steady their shaken spirits with faith. Grant them justice for their cause, enlightened by your truth.
Holy Spirit, comforter of hearts, heal your people’s wounds and transform brokenness into wholeness. Grant us the courage and wisdom, humility and grace, to act with justice. Breathe wisdom into our prayers and labors. Grant that all harmed by abuse might find peace in justice.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Reprinted in ‘Catholic Acadiana’, The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Lafayette, LA, November 2014
Thank you! Father, for giving us as much time together as we had. Spare me now from further pain of self-pity. Help me accept the fact that I have no right to expect that I am so highly privileged as to never taste sorrow in my lifetime. This is my time to experience a cross, help me to do so bravely. I remember with joy and eternal gratitude our wedding day. You made no promise to us then, guaranteeing a fixed number of years together. I thank you for what we have had. And I need help to not think about what we could have had. Help me to look now at what I have left, not at what I have lost. Help me weigh the fruit of our love and marriage in terms of years happily spent in our family joys that live on in happy memories. I thank you, Father, that our marriage terminated and/or ended, not in bitter grief, but in sweet sorrow. There is no ignoble scene of angry parting, only the honored call of God who glorified our marriage with the call of eternity. “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the Joy of the Lord.” My tears are tears of love and gratitude. I thank you that our love for each other is still alive at this moment. I sense that I am surrounded by an invisible presence and power of an indescribable love. It is the comfort of your Holy Spirit. I praise You, by God and Father, for your goodness and mercy. I have tasted grief. Help me not to have wasted this grief. Help it make me into a softer, gentler soul! In Jesus’ name…Amen.
I still hear the songs, I still see the lights
I still feel your love on cold wintery nights
I still share your hopes and all of your cares
I’ll even remind you to please say your prayers
I just want to tell you, you still make me proud
You stand head and shoulders above the crowd
Keep trying each moment, to stay in His grace
I came here before you to help set your place
You don’t have to be perfect all of the time
He forgives you the slip, if you continue to climb
To my family and friends, please be thankful today
I’m still close beside you, in a new special way
I love you all dearly, now don’t shed a tear
Cause I’m spending my Christmas with Jesus this year.
Since it is so easy for us to criticize, fret, be negative, this “letter from Jesus” would be good to use before Christmas, well the advice could be used all year long.
Dear Children,
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you’ve forgotten that I wasn’t actually born during this time of the year and that is was some our your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival, although I do appreciate being remembered anytime. How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple Santas and snowmen and put up a Nativity scene on your front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be plenty around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish. I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks are. If you’ve forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1-8. If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:
+ Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday I being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to military persons away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell me all the time.
+ Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
+ Instead of giving your children and grandchildren a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
+ Pick someone who has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
+ Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make a difference.
+ Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the at home with their families, and getting to church.
+ Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.
Don’t forget I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember.
I love you,
Jesus
96. Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman – Excerpt from: Meditations and Devotions
..."therefore I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end which is quite beyond us. He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life, He may shorten it; He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends, He may throw me among strangers, He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me - still He knows what He is about!
…I was born to serve Thee, to be Thine, to be Thy instrument. Let me be Thy blind instrument. I ask not to see – I ask not to know – I ask simply to be used.
97. The Basque Shepherd and The Shepherd Psalm xxiii
Old Fernando D’Alfonso was a Basque herder employed by a big Nevada sheep outfit. He was rated as one of the best sheep rangers in the state, and rightly so, for back of him was at least twenty generations of Iberian shepherds. But D’Alfonso was more than a sheepherder, he was a patriarch of his guild, the various traditions and secrets of which have been handed down from generation to generation. Despite a long absence from his homeland he was, when I knew him, still full of legends, the mysteries, the religious fervor of his native hills.
I sat with him one night under the clear starry skies, his sheep bedded down beside a sparkling pool of water. As we were preparing to curl up in our blankets, he suddenly began a dissertation in a jargon of Greek and Basque. When he had finished I asked him what he had said. In reply he began to quote in English the 23rd Psalm. There on the desert I learned the shepherd’s literal interpretation of this beautiful poem.
YOU ARE MY SHEPHERD O GOD, THERE IS NOTHING I SHALL WANT
Sheep instinctively know that before they have been folded down for the night the shepherd has planned out their grazing for the morrow. It may be that he will take them back to the same range; it may be that he will go to a new grazing ground. They do not worry. His guidance has been good in the past, and they have faith in the future because they know he has their well being in view.
FRESH AND GREEN ARE THE PASTURES WHERE YOU GIVE ME REPOSE
Sheep graze from around 3:30 in the morning until about 10. Then they lie down for three or four hours and rest. When they are contently chewing their cuds the shepherd knows they are putting on fat. Consequently the good shepherd starts his flocks out in the early hours on the rougher herbage, moving on through the morning to the richer, sweeter grasses, and finally coming t o shady place for the forenoon rest in fine green pastures, the best grazing of the day. Sheep resting in such happy surroundings feel contentment.
NEAR RESTFUL WATERS YOU LEAD ME REFRESHING MY SPIRIT
Every shepherd knows that sheep will not drink gurgling water. There are many small springs in the hills of the Holy Land, whose waters run down the valleys only evaporate in the desert sun. Although the sheep need the water, they will not drink from these fast-flowing springs and streams. The shepherd must find a place where ricks or erosion have made a little pool, or else he fashions with his hands a pocket sufficient to hold at least a bucketful.
YOU GUIDE ME ALONG SAFE PATHS YOU ARE TRUE TO YOUR NAME
In the Holy Land each sheep takes his place in the grazing line in the morning and keeps the same position throughout the day. Once during the day, however, each sheep leaves its place and goes to the shepherd. Whereupon the shepherd stretches out his hand and rubs the animal’s nose and ears, scratches its chin, whispers affectionately into its ears. The sheep, meanwhile, rubs its cheeks against his face. After a few minutes of this communion with the Master, the sheep returns to its place in the feeding line.
THOUGH I WALK IN THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS NO EVIL DO I FEAR,YOUR ROD AND STAFF COMFORT ME
There is an actual valley of the Shadow of Death in Palestine and every sheepherder from Spain to Dalmatia knows of it. It is south of Jerico Road leading from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea and it is narrow – a narrow defile – through a mountain range. Climatic and grazing conditions make it necessary for the sheep to be moved through this valley for seasonal feeding each year. The valley is 4 ½ miles long. Its side walls are over 1500 feet high in places and it is only 10 to 12 feet wide at the bottom. Travel through the valley is dangerous because its floor has gullies seven or eight feet deep. Actual footing on solid rock is so narrow in many places that a sheep cannot turn around and it is an unwritten law of the shepherds that flocks must go up the valley in the morning hours and down toward eventide lest flocks meet in the defile.
About halfway through the valley the walk crosses from one side to the other at a place where the path is cut in two by an eight-foot gully. One side of the gully is about 18 inches higher than the other; the sheep must jump across it. The shepherd stands at this break and coaxes or forces the sheep to make the leap. If a sheep slips and lands in the gully the shepherd’s rod is brought into play. The old style crook circles a large sheep’s neck or a small sheep’s chest, and the animal is lifted to safety. If a more modern crook is used, the sheep is caught about the hoofs and lifted up to safety. Many wild dogs lurk in the shadows of the valley looking for prey. The shepherd, skilled in throwing his staff, uses it as a weapon. Thus the sheep have learned to fear no evil in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, for their master is there to protect them from harm.
YOU PREPARE A BANQUET FOR ME IN THE SIGHT OF MY ENEMIES
Poisonous plants which are fatal to grazing animals abound in the Holy Land. Each Spring the shepherd must be constantly alert. When he finds the plants, the takes his mattock and goes ahead of the flock, grubbing out every stock and root he can see. As he digs out the stocks he lays them upon little stone pures, some of which were built by shepherds in the Old Testament days, and by the morrow they were dry enough to burn. When the pasture is free from poisonous plants, the sheep are led into it, and in the presence of their plant enemies they, eat in peace.
MY HEAD YOU ANOINT WITH OIL; BY CUP OVERFLOWS
At every sheepfold there is a big earthen bowl of olive oil and a large jar of water. As the sheep come in for the night they are led to a gate. The shepherd lays his rod across the top of the gateway just above the backs of the sheep. As each sheep passes he quickly examines it for briers in the ears, snags in the cheek or weeping in the eyes from dust or scratches. When such conditions are found he drops the rod across the sheep’s back and it steps out of line. Each sheep’s wounds are carefully cleaned. The shepherd dips his hand into the olive oil and anoints the injury. A large cup is dipped into cool jar of water. When all the sheep are at rest, the shepherd places his staff within reach in case it is needed during the night. Then he wraps himself in his woolen robe and lies down across the gateway, facing the sheep, for the nights respose.
So after all the care and protection the shepherd has given it, a sheep may well soliloquize in the twilight, as translated by David: SURELY GOODNESS AND KINDNESS SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE, I SHALL DWELL IN YOUR HOUSE FOREVER.
“This is from Sr. Pauline Stevens’ enclosure. Thank you, Sr. Pauline.” Sr. Yvonne Lerner, O.S.B.
98. Morning Prayer
O Lord, in the silence of this day which is now beginning, I come to ask you for peace, wisdom, and strength.
Today I want to look upon the world with eyes full of love; to be patient, understanding, humble, calm, and good.
Today I want to see beyond the appearances of your children, to see them as you yourself see them and so to be able to appreciate the goodness of each person.
Close my ears to all murmuring; guard my tongue from all evil speech, so that only those thoughts that bless may remain in me.
Today I want to be so well-intentioned and just that all those who approach me may feel your presence.
Clothe me with your goodness, O Lord, and grant that, during this day I may reflect you. Amen.
By Fr. Ignacio Larranago, S.J. Translated from the Spanish by Fr. Mark Stengel, O.S.B. Subiaco Abbey, Subiaco, AR
99. Healing Prayer
Heavenly Father, I call on you right now in a special way. It is through your powers that I was created. Every breath I take, every morning I wake and every moment of every hour, I live under your powers.
Father, I ask you now to touch me with that same power. For if you created me from nothing, you can certainly recreate me.
Fill me with the healing power of your spirit. Cast out anything that should not be in me. Mend what is broken. Root our any unproductive cells. Open any blocked arteries or veins and rebuild any damaged areas. Remove all inflammation and cleanse any infection.
Let the warmth of your healing love pass through my body to make new and unhealthy areas so that my body will function the way you created it to function.
And, Father, restore me to full health in mind, body, and spirit, so that I may serve you the rest of my live.
I ask this through Christ our Lord,
Amen
100. Disabled American Veterans – Poem at Christmas
Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney with presents to give,
And to see just who in this home did live.
I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by mantle, just boots filled with sand,
And on the wall pictures of far distant lands.
With medals and badges, awards of all kinds,
A sobering thought came to my mind.
The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in this one bedroom home.
The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured a United States soldier.
Was this the hero of whom I’d just read!
Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?
I realized the families that I saw this night,
Owed their lives to these soldiers who were willing to fight.
Soon round the world, the children would play,
And grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,
Because of the soldiers, like the one lying here.
I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas eve in a land far from home.
The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.
The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice,
“Santa, don’t cry, this life is my choice;
I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more,
My life is my God, my country, my corps.”
The soldier rolled over and soon drifted to sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.
I kept watch for hours, so silent and still,
And we both shivered from the cold evening’s chill.
I didn’t want to leave on that cold, dark, night,
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.
Then the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure,
Whispered, “Carry on Santa, it’s Christmas day, all is secure.”
One look at my watch, and I knew he was right,
“Merry Christmas, my friend, and to all a good night.”
By Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt
101. One Solitary Life
He was born in an obscure village. He worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. He then became an itinerant preacher. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn’t go to college. He had no credentials but himself. He was only thirty-three when the public turned against him. His friends ran away! He was turned over to the enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. He was laid in a borrowed grave. Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that every sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that ONE SOLITARY LIFE.
102. ‘Keeping Christmas’ from The Spirit of Christmas by Henry van Dyke
Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you…to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world…to see that your fellow-men are just as real as you are, and to try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy…to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness…are you willing to do these things, even for a day?
Then, you can keep Christmas! Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and the desires of little children…to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old…to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough…to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that the shadow will fall behind you…
Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world…stronger than hate, stronger that evil, stronger than death…and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love?
Then, you can keep Christmas! And, if you keep it for a day, why not always? But you can never keep it alone.
…printed in my son’s Capitol Hill Child Development Center’s Christmas card, Washington, D.C. 1985! The cover reads, “Wise Men Follow His Star…” Amen! Amen!
103. Prayer Before Study (found in Alvin Joseph’s book bag!)
(By Saint Thomas Aquinas)
O INEFFABLE CREATOR, my Lord and my God, Who art the true Fountain and one essential Principle of light and wisdom, deign to shed the brightness of Thy Light upon the darkness of my understanding; grant me acuteness in understanding what I read, power to retain it, subtlety to discern its true meaning, readiness in learning and clearness and ease in expressing it. Do Thou order my beginnings, direct and further my progress, complete and bless my ending; through Christ my Lord, Amen.
104. My Father-in-laws Simple but Powerful Prayer While Making the Sign of the Cross. My husband recalls this ‘special signing’ from childhood to this very day.
With God I go to sleep,
With God I wake up,
With The Virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit.
105. Palm Donkey
There were chariots for hire, white stallions by the pair;
A royal camel could be borrowed, or gilded sedan chair.
While hosts of angels waited to transport Him in style,
the Lord God asked a donkey to walk with Him a while.
Joy filled the little burro’s soul he pitched his ears up high,
then bowed beneath his Master’s frame as he began to sigh:
“My grandpa knew your father. You gracious Mother too - He carried her when she was asked by God to carry You.”
The people came from all around to greet their Lord and King:
They danced and sang and made a rug of colorful clothing.
The donkey trotted carefully so’s not to snag or rip their garments spread about the road
that might cause him to trip! Hosannas filled the palm-strewn streets as Jesus blessed the throng, He blessed the faithful donkey who walked humbly along.
“The poem 6th graders recited for me and their grandparents.” Sr. Mary John Seyler, Holy Week 2018
106. Prayer of a Soldier in France by Joyce Kilmer (Sgt. of the 165th Infantry, World War 1…wonderful article in the Knights of Columbus magazine Columbia, 2018)
My shoulders ache beneath my pack
(Lie easier, Cross, upon His back).
I march with feet that burn and smart
(Tread, Holy Feet, upon my heart).
Men shout at me who may not speak
(They scourged Thy back and smote Thy cheek).
I may not lift a hand to clear
My eyes of salty drops that sear.
(Then shall my fickle soul forget
Thy agony of Bloody Sweat?)
My rifle hand is stiff and numb
(From Thy pierced palm red rivers come).
Lord, Thou didst suffer more for me
Than all the hosts of land and sea.
So let me render back again
This millionth of Thy gift. Amen.
In 1936, the Veterans of Foreign Wars helped establish the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, a 3,800-acre tract of old growth forest in North Carolina – a fitting tribute to the one who wrote, “Poems are made by fools like me/ But only God can make a tree.”
107. Prayer for Healing …from a blackboard in the intensive care unit in a Munich hospital
Be awake, O Lord, with those who are awake or cry in the night.
Take care of the sick, let the weary rest, bless the dying, comfort the suffering
have pity on the depressed and be happy with the joyful.