Thank you Mary for your “YES!”
Let us pray the Joyful Mysteries today for all mankind that they may find Jesus.
God Bless 🩷🙏
Author: rejoiceandpraise
When I close my eyes and sing praises to the Lord God my Heavenly Father, I imagine my voice is like an angel - ephemeral and glorious - far from my out of tune one.
My kids like to poke me when I screech, and I love writing about my experiences.
Twitter: @ling_yian
God’s Awesome Power: The Annunciation and the Solar Eclipse
There has been major rumble online from a variety of sources claiming legitimacy, to soothsayers, as well as influencers with comparisons, analysis, prophetic, religious speculations, heavenly punishment and the mores.
Some suggest there will be a coming chastisement of Godly magnitude as well as Satanic and demonic play. The fears and seeds planted by all work to spin a narrative that is frightfully scary. Remember their main motivation is not only seeking likes and subscribers to their YouTube and TikTok channels, but the pandemonium can harms us. Fake news is fused with half truths, and I cannot help but reiterate – stand strong in your faith in Jesus – the truth that is in the Bible.
Sometimes it’s hard to discern from the muddled confusion in front of us.
The Solar Eclipse falls on the day of Annunciation. In April 2024, the Sacred Heart of Jesus was on April 5, 2024, the Immaculate Heart of Mary on April 6, 2024, with Divine Mercy Sunday on April 7, 2024 and despite the online noise about the solar eclipse on April 8th, what I think is more relevant is that the Annunciation which should have been on March 25, is transferred to April 8. Now that’s what I call the movement of divine hands.
Aside: I can’t help but smile at God’s sense of timing and humour (I see Gods smile as he watches realization and understanding ignite in me). The Holy Spirit moving me to drop what I was doing this morning to write this post today.
After all the rites and rituals of the Easter season, he is asking me where is my heart. Throughout all the pomp and celebration of the Easter season, there is also the most humbling and important aspect of my (our) relationship with Him – faith and trust:
2 Jesus took a little child and put him among them. 3 He said, “For sure, I tell you, unless you have a change of heart and become like a little child, you will not get into the holy nation of heaven. 4 Whoever is without pride as this little child is the greatest in the holy nation of heaven. 5 Whoever receives a little child because of Me receives Me. 6 But whoever is the reason for one of these little children who believe in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for him to have a large rock put around his neck and to be thrown into the sea. (Matthew 18:2-6)
Jesus, I trust in you🙏💕
God, the author of all, knows how to write a good story. The Bible communicates a single message of redemption, what some have called an enormous love letter from God to his beloved people. Yet throughout the rich variety of poems, prayers, narrative, and song, there is a unifying theme. Each word, each verse, and each book of the Bible hangs together to execute this theme—as we might expect from God, who identifies so closely as the “Word.” Today’s solemnity, the Annunciation of the Lord, celebrates one of the most profound moments in Scripture’s rich tapestry and illustrates the integrity of the revealed Word in remarkable ways.
Today’s celebration of Gabriel’s message to Mary and her affirmative reply recalls the events from the very first verses of the Bible. In the book of Genesis, Eve is tempted by the devil, the Father of Lies, to close her ears to God’s life-giving Word. Despite God’s command that our first parents were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, “the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, [so] she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6). We know the rest of the story—and we know it is true because we have lived with the consequences of the Fall in our lives.
With this initial chapter of the “greatest story ever told” in mind, consider now the approaching apex of God’s letter, the appearance of the angel Gabriel to Mary. The ancient hymn Ave, Maris Stella gives us an interpretive key to the scene. It sings of how the first word of Gabriel to Mary, Ave, transforms the damage, confusion, detours, and dead ends along the road to heaven wrought by Eve, in Latin, Eva. St. Irenaeus (c. 130–202) sees the same reversal at this turning point of salvation history: “As Eve was seduced by the word of an angel and so fled from God after disobeying his word, Mary in her turn was given the good news by the word of an angel, and bore God in obedience to his word. As Eve was seduced into disobedience to God, so Mary was persuaded into obedience to God; thus the Virgin Mary became the advocate of the virgin Eve” (Office of Readings for Friday of the Second Week of Advent). Thus, the celebration of the Annunciation of the Lord first recalls with gratitude that fiat, “let it be done,” from Mary that brought God to man, heaven to earth, at Christmas.
The Annunciation and the Nativity are the two great celebrations of the coming of God to earth. Together, they serve as essential chapters in God’s narrative of salvation. Mary, after conceiving Christ “through her ear,” that is, by listening to and receiving God’s message, gives birth to this same Savior nine months later. Naturally, the Church marks the celebration of these two days nine months apart—the March 25 incarnation of the Word comes to fruition with the Savior’s birth on December 25. These two dates also find a ritual association unique to themselves: during the recitation of the Creed, at the words “and became man,” all present genuflect or kneel rather than merely bowing, as on other occasions. Since eternity “grounds itself ” in our time, since divinity unites itself to our humanity (“human,” from humus, or “earth,” “dirt”), we humans likewise bend our knees and, literally, ground our own selves.
The Church’s liturgy, though, does not simply recall the historical annunciation and birth of Jesus nine months later, but it also directs our attention to his death and resurrection. Before March 25 celebrated Jesus’ conception, it was on this day that the Church recalled his death. In the early centuries of the Church, March 25 corresponded roughly to 14 Nisan on the Jewish calendar, the day of Passover, which is when Christ the Paschal Lamb was slain. The God–Man would suffer death for our salvation as a result of Eve’s disobedient “no” and Mary’s obedient “yes.”
In some ways, the Annunciation celebrates the Paschal Mystery as much as it does the Incarnation. As St. Leo’s text from the day’s Office of Readings puts it, “Incapable of suffering as God, he did not refuse to be a man, capable of suffering. Immortal, he chose to be subject to the laws of death.” But the Paschal Mystery is not only about Christ’s suffering and death but also his resurrection. The liturgy of the Church ties the Annunciation to the Resurrection in the Prayer after Communion at Mass, asking that by “confessing that he who was conceived of the Virgin Mary is true God and true man, we may, through the saving power of his Resurrection, merit to attain eternal joy.”
The Annunciation of the Lord, then, serves as a pivotal event in this largest of love letters. Just days before Christmas, St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) paints a vivid picture of our emotions as we overhear Gabriel’s announcement and await Mary’s reply. It is an image that expresses beautifully the significance of Mary’s choice on this day. He writes: “Answer quickly, O Virgin. Reply in haste to the angel, or rather through the angel to the Lord. Answer with a word, receive the Word of God. Speak your own word, conceive the divine Word. Breathe a passing word, embrace the eternal Word … Let humility be bold, let modesty be confident. This is no time for virginal simplicity to forget prudence. In this matter alone, O prudent Virgin, do not fear to be presumptuous … Behold the handmaid of the Lord, she says, be it done to me according to your word” (Office of Readings for December 20).
The above entry appears in Ascension’s book Solemnities: Celebrating a Tapestry of Divine Beauty, by Christopher Carstens, Denis McNamara, and Alexis Kutarna. Featuring each of the 17 annual solemnities, Solemnities: Celebrating a Tapestry of Divine Beauty examines the theological, spiritual, and liturgical foundations for each celebration; explains the beauty of the solemnity by a commentary on artistic illustration of the celebration; and offers ideas for living the solemnity in one’s daily life.
Montreal: Photos shot on a Montreal rooftop using a Samsung Galaxy 24 ultra mobile with filter for Solar Eclipse.
Divine Mercy Novena
Today is the start of the Divine Mercy Novena ending on Divine Mercy Sunday 🙏
About the Divine Mercy Novena
The message of Divine Mercy was given to a Polish nun named Sister Faustina. It was revealed to her by Jesus in a private revelation that is fully approved by the Church. The message of Divine Mercy is not something that is new or additional to the Gospel message. In fact, it is the same core message presented in a particular way with a few new devotions. This novena is one of those devotions.
St. Faustina reports in her diary that she transcribed the words of the novena as Jesus dictated them to her day-by-day beginning on Good Friday.
While this novena can be prayed any time, it is fitting that this novena begins on the day that Jesus gave us His Life. Good Friday is the perfect time to begin meditating on the Mercy of God towards us who need His mercy so much.
We end the novena on the eve of the Feast of Mercy, a feast day established by Pope John Paul II in response to St. Faustina’s revelation. This is a very important feast and the novena is an important part of our preparation for the Feast of Mercy, Divine Mercy Sunday.
“The Lord told me to say this chaplet for nine days before the Feast of Mercy. It is to begin on Good Friday. ‘By this novena, I will grant every possible grace to souls.’” (Diary 796)
On April 30th, 2000 Pope John Paul II instituted Divine Mercy Sunday as an official feast of the Church. In doing this he said, “by this act today, I pass on the message of Divine Mercy to the new millennium. I pass it on because I want people to know the better face of God, and that of his Divine Mercy, and through it, the better face of their brethren. The light of the message of Divine Mercy which the Lord wished to renew in the world, will be as much a beacon of hope for the third millennium, as the apostles were in the first.”
This is clearly a very important and powerful devotion.
Purpose of the Devotion
You can pray the Divine Mercy Novena for any reason you want. God’s Mercy is relevant and effective in all parts of our lives. However, there are some specific reasons you may want to call on the Divine Mercy in your prayer life.
For the dying, for the world, for forgiveness and mercy, for conversion, for healing, and in preparation for Divine Mercy Sunday.
Note:
My family prayed the Divine Mercy Prayer for someone who didn’t have their last rite. She was dying and unresponsive. We can attest to the movement of the Holy Spirit and a single grunt that was heard from the patient.
This has become my go to prayer when someone is dying, when I sense something ominous is unfolding, when I feel fear, and for the salvation of those around me.
Divine Mercy Novena – Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Today bring to Me ALL MANKIND, ESPECIALLY ALL SINNERS, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me.”
Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Divine Mercy Novena – Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Today bring to Me THE SOULS OF PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS, and immerse them in My unfathomable mercy. It was they who gave Me strength to endure My bitter Passion. Through them as through channels My mercy flows out upon mankind.”
Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in men and women consecrated to Your service, that they may perform worthy works of mercy; and that all who see them may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company of chosen ones in Your vineyard–upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Divine Mercy Novena – Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Today bring to Me ALL DEVOUT AND FAITHFUL SOULS, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. The souls brought Me consolation on the Way of the Cross. They were that drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness.”
Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from It. We beg this grace of You by that most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lose the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Divine Mercy Novena – Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Today bring to Me THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN GOD AND THOSE WHO DO NOT YET KNOW ME. I was thinking also of them during My bitter Passion, and their future zeal comforted My Heart. Immerse them in the ocean of My mercy.”
Most compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who do not believe in God and of those who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who do not believe in You, and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Divine Mercy Novena – Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Today bring to Me THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAVE SEPARATED THEMSELVES FROM MY CHURCH, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at My Body and Heart, that is, My Church. As they return to unity with the Church, My wounds heal and in this way they alleviate My Passion.”
Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Church. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Son’s Church, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces by obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in His Most Compassionate Heart. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Divine Mercy Novena – Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Today bring to Me THE MEEK AND HUMBLE SOULS AND THE SOULS OF LITTLE CHILDREN, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls most closely resemble My Heart. They strengthened Me during My bitter agony. I saw them as earthly Angels, who will keep vigil at My altars. I pour out upon them whole torrents of grace. Only the humble soul is capable of receiving My grace. I favor humble souls with My confidence.”
Most Merciful Jesus, You yourself have said, “Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart.” Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy and they are the heavenly Father’s favorites. They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God Himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek souls, upon humble souls, and upon little children who are enfolded in the abode which is the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight You take in them: Bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Divine Mercy Novena – Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Today bring to Me THE SOULS WHO ESPECIALLY VENERATE AND GLORIFY MY MERCY, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over my Passion and entered most deeply into My spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate Heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death.”
Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy; and united to You, O Jesus, they carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their hearts, overflowing with joy, sing a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God:
Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them that during their life, but especially at the hour of death, the souls who will venerate this fathomless mercy of His, He, Himself, will defend as His glory.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Divine Mercy Novena – Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Today bring to Me THE SOULS WHO ARE DETAINED IN PURGATORY, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice.”
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded: Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Divine Mercy Novena – Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“Today bring to Me SOULS WHO HAVE BECOME LUKEWARM, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: ‘Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.’ For them, the last hope of salvation is to run to My mercy.”
Most compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love, let these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
From: https://www.praymorenovenas.com/divine-mercy-novena
God Bless🙏💕
Extra: The Chaplet of Divine Mercy
The Season of Renewal: Celebrating Baptism at Easter
As we head into Holy Week and the season of Easter, let us take the time to reflect on its meaning – a time for renewal and rebirth. Celebrate by all Christians worldwide, its’ significance is that it marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is also associated with the sacrament of baptism.
Baptism, is a rite of initiation into the Christian faith, and symbolizes purification – the washing away of the old to welcome the new.
Baptism for adults also represents a milestone in one’s journey of faith by embracing the Catholic faith through the sacred rite of Baptism. It is also an overt celebration of one’s spiritual journey through the acceptance and symbolization of purification, rebirth, as well as the profound commitment to walk in the footsteps of faith.
This step is a formality and a profound expression of your commitment to a set of beliefs within a faith based community.
Baptism is a symbol of renewal, a fresh start where you are cleansed, reborn, and welcomed into a new family:
Galatians 2:20 NIV
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,who loved me and gave himself for me.
Just as Jesus Christ rose from the dead, those getting baptized this Easter are rising to a new life. This beautiful parallel can only enhance your spiritual journey.
In this ceremony, the baptized candidate is accompanied by family, friends, and members of the Catholic community. This is a testament to the supportive community that surrounds the newly baptized.
Let us pray for all baptismal candidates this Easter. May they have hope, joy, and love, as they embark on this sacred path. It is also a reminder that the cross offers us opportunities for transformation and blessings. May each person being baptized feel the warmth of divine grace and the strength of their convictions.
As we extend our best wishes to those being baptized, let’s also remember the spirit of Easter—a time to renew our own commitments, to cherish our loved ones, and to spread kindness and compassion in around us.
Happy Easter, and may God bless each and every soul stepping into the light of faith this year.
Embracing a New Journey: Inspirations for the Newly Baptized
For those who have recently embraced this sacred rite, the Bible offers a treasure trove of verses that inspire and guide.
One such verse is Acts 2:38, which encapsulates the essence of baptism, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” This verse is a powerful reminder of the transformative power of baptism, not just as a physical act, but as a spiritual awakening that brings one closer to the divine.
Similarly, 1 Peter 3:21 speaks to the inner change that baptism heralds: “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” It’s a call to embrace a life of righteousness, with a clear conscience and a heart aligned with God’s will.
The act of baptism is beautifully depicted in Romans 6:3-4, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” This passage invites the newly baptized to partake in the resurrection of Christ, to rise above the old self, and to celebrate the new life that awaits.
Let these verses be beacons of hope, and a light that shines on the path of spiritual growth and devotion.
God Bless 🩷🙏
Garabandal: Our Lady’s Message To Priests
I’m sharing this message by Father Luke as it bespeaks much of the problems in our faith and in the Catholic Church at the moment.
I personally respect Father Luke, and admire his steadfast faith. His warning to all clergy, priest, cardinal, etc. is necessary!
Hourly Prayers of Saint John Chrysostom
When words fail me…for many weeks I can’t seem to find the words when I pray. It’s been days of long sights and grunts. This morning my friend Katherine sent me this beautiful prayer that bespeaks the depth of my heart.
I feel the movement of the Holy Spirit as it guides me to get it right with God.
Praise be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit🙏💕
Hourly Prayers of Saint John Chrysostom
A set of 24 short prayers attributed to St John Chrysostom. The shortness is deliberate –– when it comes to personal devotion, many of the Fathers teach the efficacy of an “arrow prayer” that is easily remembered and easily meant whole-heartedly.
They are, like the day’s hours, divided into two sections of twelve apiece.
O Lord, of Thy heavenly bounties, deprive me not.
O Lord, deliver me from the eternal torments.
O Lord, forgive me if I have sinned in my mind or my thought, whether in word or in deed.
O Lord, free me from all ignorance and forgetfulness, from despondency and stony insensibility.
O Lord, deliver me from every temptation.
O lord, enlighten my heart which evil desires have darkened.
O Lord, as a man have I sinned, have Thou mercy on me, as the God full of compassion, seeing the feebleness of my soul.
O Lord, send down Thy grace to help me, that I may glorify Thy name.
O Lord Jesus Christ, write me down in the book of life and grant unto me a good end.
O Lord my God, even if I had not done anything good before Thee, do Thou help me, in Thy grace, to make a good beginning.
O Lord, sprinkle into my heart the dew of Thy grace.
O Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, full of shame and impurity, in Thy kingdom. Amen.
O Lord, receive me in penitence.
O Lord, forsake me not.
O Lord, lead me not into misfortune.
O Lord, quicken in me a good thought.
O Lord, give me tears and remembrance of death, and contrition.
O Lord, make me solicitous of confessing my sins.
O Lord, give me humility, chastity, and obedience.
O Lord, give me patience, magnanimity, and meekness.
O Lord, implant in my the root of all good–Thy fear in my heart.
O Lord, vouchsafe that I may love thee from all my soul and mind and in everything do Thy will.
O Lord, shelter me from certain men, from demons and passions, and from any other unbecoming thing.
O Lord, Thou knowest that Thou dost as Thou wilt, let then Thy will be done in me, a sinner, for blessed art Thou unto the ages. Amen.
Spiritual Preparedness amidst all the din on Social Media (internet)
There has been a lot of internet waves about the coming solar eclipse (April 8th) that falls a day before the Jewish Nisan on April 9th.
All over TikTok, YouTube and other social media platforms- there are warnings of this eclipse, 3 days of darkness and end times. There are stories about the mapping of star charts and they give interesting spins on upcoming upheavals. They create anxiety and fear.
Spiritual Preparedness
Personally I have no idea if they are true or not. I do know that our focus should be on Jesus and spiritual preparedness.
I have been going through my own 40 days in the wilderness and combating my own demons. The noise in the internet only adds to my confusion. It is only when I focus on the word of God that my heart is calm.
Matthew 25:1-12 (NIV)
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
Thief in the Night
The return of Jesus Christ is likened to the coming of a thief in the night. This is an analogy that appears in three places the the New Testament:
Matthew 24:43
“Understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into,”
1 Thessalonians 5:2
“You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
2 Peter 3:10,
“the day of the Lord will come like a thief.“
In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks of His second coming at the end of the tribulation. Paul calls it “the day of the Lord” in 1 Thessalonians 5. This is a day of divine retribution featuring astronomical upheaval and the visible “sign of the Son of Man” in the heavens (Matthew 24:29–30). Jesus says it will happen “after the tribulation of those days” (verse 29, ESV), a description that distinguishes this event from the rapture, which happens before the tribulation.
The second coming will be like a thief in the night. No one will know when He will return. Just as a thief catches a household by surprise, Jesus will catch the unbelieving world by surprise when He returns in judgment. People will be “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” (verse 38), just as if they have all the time in the world. Unexpectedly Judgment Day will be upon them (verses 40–41). Paul puts it this way: “While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
The believer does not fear this swift and sudden judgment; the “thief in the night” will not catch us by surprise. Christians are in a separate category: “But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief” (1 Thessalonians 5:4). It is only those in darkness who will be taken unawares, and we “are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness” (verse 5). Praise the Lord, “God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 9).
The unsaved should heed Jesus’ warning: “Be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Matthew 24:44). How can you be ready? God has provided the way for you to escape the judgment. That way is Jesus Christ (John 14:6). By accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are granted forgiveness of sins, mercy, and salvation with the promise of everlasting life (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8–9). The “thief” is coming, but you can be a child of the day. Don’t put it off; this is “the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:19). (From (https://www.gotquestions.org/thief-in-the-night.html)
Please mediate upon these verses and pray upon them🩷🙏
God Bless each of you as you go through your own 40 days in the desert 🏜️ trust in Jesus to help you out of it.
Journey with Jesus to the Cross
The Stations of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refer to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion. These images are accompanied by prayers. Partaking in this visual and auditory combination is a powerful devotional practice for all Christians.
The concept of the Stations of the Cross grew out of imitations of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem. The Via Dolorosa is a traditional processional route symbolizing the path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary. The objective of the Stations is to guide Christian faithful in a spiritual pilgrimage through contemplation of the Passion of Christ.
In summary, these powerful images and prayers allow Christians to spiritually journey alongside Jesus during his final hours, reflecting on his sacrifice and love for humanity.
Take the time this Lent to prayerfully meditate on the Stations of the Cross. PDF download below:
I invite each of you to pray the Stations of the Cross with me 🙏💖
Be Inspired! 