CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY
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Daily Afrocentric Chaplet Divine Mercy PT II
Daily Afrocentric Chaplet Divine Mercy PTlII
FRIDAY-AFROCENTRIC SORROWFUL MYSTERIES ROSARY, STATIONS OF CROSS
CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY
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Daily Afrocentric Chaplet Divine Mercy PT II
Daily Afrocentric Chaplet Divine Mercy PTlII
CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY
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Daily Afrocentric Chaplet Divine Mercy PT II
Daily Afrocentric Chaplet Divine Mercy PTlII
The Rev. Fr. Melvin Doucette, M.AfrFriday, April 30, 2010
"I am your friend"
Dear Friends,
The Words of Eternal Life
Then many of Jesus' disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father."
As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:60-69)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Joseph. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"Many of My disciples refused to accept My teachings on the Eucharist. After explaining to them that they have to eat My flesh and drink My blood, many refused to accompany Me. They returned to their homes and their old way of life.
At the end I asked My Apostles if they too wanted to leave Me. It was St. Peter who answered with great faith that I have the words of eternal life. He added these words, 'We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.' With these words Peter showed his faith in Me even if he did not understand fully what I told him.
I call you, My dear brothers and sisters, to believe like St. Peter. Know that I cannot teach you anything false as I am the Son of God. All I have taught concerning the Eucharist is absolutely true and you are to believe it all.
The greatest gift I gave you is the Eucharist, which is the gift of Myself to you. Believe that when you receive the Eucharist I come into your heart with all the graces and strength that you need. Welcome Me into your heart with prayer filled with love. I am your friend who wants the best for you. Let us live together all the days of your life."
Father Melvin
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Dear Friends,
"I am the Living Bread"
Jesus answered and said to them, "... I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever." (John 6:43,51-58)
Below you will find the message of Our Resurrected Lord given to Joseph. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"I spoke to the Apostles and to many disciples about the Eucharist. I told them that I would give them My flesh to eat. To impress upon them the importance of the Eucharist, I told them that unless they eat My flesh and drink My blood they would not have life within them; they would not have eternal life. Those who eat My flesh and drink My blood remain in Me and I in them.
By these words concerning the Eucharist, I wanted to make them understanding that the Eucharist is My gift to them. This gift brings them eternal life and they would come to heaven with Me one day.
So, My brothers and sisters, by the host you receive at Holy Communion, you truly receive Me alive under the species of bread and if you drink from the chalice, again your receive Me who is truly present there under the species of wine.
I ask you all to believe with all your heart and soul that in Holy Communion you receive Me as I live today in heaven. I come into your heart to make My home there and bring you eternal life. It is out of love for you that I instituted the Holy Eucharist."
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
"I came into the world to bring you all to heaven"
Dear Friends,
Witnesses to Jesus
Jesus said, "If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony cannot be verified. But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true. You sent emissaries to John (the Baptist), and he testified to the truth.
I do not accept testimony from a human being, but I say this so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light. But I have testimony greater than John's.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf. But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form, and you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent. You search the scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf. But you do not want to come to me to have life." (John 5:31-40)
Below you will find the message of the Resurrected Lord given to Joseph. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"Many people refused to believe in Me when I began My public life although they saw all the miracles I performed. John the Baptist was My witness and he is the one who baptized Me. At My baptism the Father spoke saying, 'This is My beloved Son,' testifying that I am the Son of God.
John the Baptist also said that I must increase and he must decrease. He called Me 'the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.' All the healings and miracles I performed, such as the raising of the dead to life, testify that I come from God and I possess the power that God alone has.
I call you, all My friends, to read the Bible and see that indeed I am the Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Another great proof that I come from God is the fact that after three days in the tomb I resurrected from the dead never to die again. Only God can do such things.
All should accept Me as the Messiah, the Savior, who was mentioned many times in the Old Testament beginning with Genesis. Believe in Me and follow Me and you will be saved. I came into the world to bring you all to heaven."
Father Melvin
Thursday, April 22, 2010
"May our relationship grow every day"
Dear Friends,
I am the Living Bread
Jesus said, "... Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." (John 6:45b-51)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Joseph. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"Most of My teachings about the Eucharist are found in the Gospel of St. John in chapter six. I told the Apostles and others that I was the bread of life. If you eat this bread you will live forever in heaven. The bread that I give you is My flesh for the life of the world.
At the last supper I took bread and blessed it and I said, 'This is My Body' and I gave it to the Apostles to eat. Then I took a cup filled with wine and I said, 'This is the cup of My blood.' I gave the cup to the Apostles to drink.
The truth about all this is that I changed the bread and wine into My very body and blood and I gave My very self to the Apostles to consume. So if you participate in the liturgy of the Holy Eucharist and when you come to receive Holy Communion, you receive Me as I live today in heaven. I am the resurrected One who offered His life for your salvation.
It is very important, My friends, to believe My words and to come regularly to receive Me in Holy Communion. In this way we can have a special relationship as I dwell very close to you in your heart. I want you all to come to Me often during the day to speak to Me and to listen to what I have to tell you. I want to be number one in your life. May our relationship grow every day."
Father Melvin
Monday, April 26, 2010
"Come to visit Me in Church often"
Dear Friends,
Multiplication of the Loaves
Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?" He said this to test them, because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, "Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little (bit)." One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people recline." Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had their fill, he said to his disciples, "Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted." So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. (John 6:3-13)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Joseph. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"Many people followed Me during My public life and often we would gather by a mountain or in the desert. Especially if we had spent the whole day together, I would give them something to eat. There was never much food there but I would multiply the food so that all could eat to their full. Once I fed five thousand men without counting the women and children with just five loaves of bread and two fish.
These miracles point for the Jews to the manna in the desert that My Father gave them for forty years and for you who follow Me, such a miracle points to the Eucharist I gave to the Church. Through the Eucharist I gave you the gift of Myself. I am truly present in the hosts and the chalice and when you receive Me I come to live in your heart. This gift of Myself is the way I remain with you although I disappeared from your eyes and went to heaven. I am always with you and please come to visit Me in Church often. I bless you."
Father Melvin
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
"Have a picture of Me in your home"
Dear Friends,
Walking on the Water
When it was evening, his disciples went down to the sea, embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum. It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing.
When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid." They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading. (John 6:16-21)
Below you will find the message of Our Lord and Savior given to Joseph. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"I bless you and all My brothers and sisters living in every part of the world. One evening I was with the Apostles on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. I decided to go and pray on the mountain while they got in a boat to cross the water and go to Capernaum.
During the night I decided to cross the water on foot and go and meet the Apostles who were not making much headway because of the strong wind. When they saw Me walking on the water they were afraid but I told them not to be afraid. Then we reached the shore.
This is another of My miracles to show the Apostles that I have divine power and so I can do many things, which they cannot do. It is a fact that I have a human nature and I can do everything a human being can do.
However, I have another nature, which no human being has, and that nature is called divine. This is the nature of God as I am the Second Person of the Trinity; all those who believe in Me accept Me as God. Truly I am the Son of God, who came into the world to suffer and die for your salvation.
You can have a picture of Me because I am human. All of you love to have pictures of your loved ones and look at them. These bring back many memories and your heart is filled with love for them. Have a picture of Me in your home and I will bless it."
Father Melvin
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
"I bless you all"
Dear Friends,
I am the Bread of Life
Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." So they said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. But I told you that although you have seen me, you do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day." (John 6:32-40)
Below you will find the message from Our Lord and Redeemer given to Joseph. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"One day in Capernaum I was with a crowd of people and I spoke to them after they asked for a sign. They had been speaking about how Moses had given their ancestors manna during their forty years in the desert. I began by telling them that it was My Father who had given the people manna in the desert. I told them that I was the bread of life who came down from heaven.
I called on all of them to believe in Me, saying, if they do believe they will go to heaven and I will raise them up on the last day. You know, My brothers and sisters, that I am the only Savior in the whole world and all are called to believe in Me to be saved. I also gave Myself to you as food. My flesh is true food and My blood is true drink. You are all called to partake of this food for eternal life.
The night before I died, I took bread and changed it into My body and gave it to the Apostles to eat. Then I took wine and changed it into My blood and gave them to drink. This is My great gift to you who believe: the gift of Myself.
Come as often as you can to receive Me in Holy Communion so that we can be united as one. Believe that I am truly present in the Eucharist and come and receive Me with great devotion and love. I bless you all."
Father Melvin
ASK FOR A SOUL for every WORD you say on your Rosary
AND your Chaplet of Divine Mercy
"Then the whole of the Church, which celebrates the Eucharist, is praying with us. Then we are praying within the sphere of God's gracious hearing, because we are praying within the sphere of death and resurrection, that is where the real petition in all our petitions has been heard: the petition for the victory over death; the petition for love that is stronger than death" (Pope Benedict XVI).
St. Louis Marie de Montfort, Priest, Missionary (1673-1716), France—April 28
He wrote, "Do you hunger for the bread of grace and the bread of life? Draw near to her who bore the living Bread which came down from Heaven." "Place yourself humbly in the presence of God . . . . Renew your consecration [to the Blessed Virgin Mary] saying, `I belong entirely to you, dear Mother, and all that I have is yours.'"
Mother Teresa
Never let anything so fill you with pain or sorrow so as to make you forget the joy of Christ Risen.
Meditations by Padre Pio -
When passing before an image of Our Lady we should say: "I greet you, Oh Mary. Greet Jesus for me."
Archbishop Fulton Sheen
The shallowness of "Let's do lunch...sometime!"
"Insincerity of a minor degree is that in which we constantly promise something that we never expect to fulfill. The `Yes Man' is Exhibit A of that group, who is always afraid to assert his own mind and who identifies agreement with agreeableness.
Another form is the invitation to dinner, `Come up and have dinner with us sometime,' brings the equally agreeable and insincere answer, `Yes, I will.' The insincerity is in the indefiniteness; `sometime' can often mean, `We are not expecting you,' and its answer sometimes means, `Nor do I expect to go.'"
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
Tell souls not to place within their own hearts obstacles to My mercy, which so greatly wants to act within them. My mercy works in all those hearts which open their doors to it. Both the sinner and the righteous person have need of My mercy. Conversion, as well as perseverance, is a grace of My mercy. (1577)
Let souls who are striving for perfection particularly adore My mercy, because the abundance of graces which I grant them flows from My mercy. I desire that these souls distinguish themselves by boundless trust in My mercy. I myself will attend to the sanctification of such souls.
I will provide them with everything they will need to attain sanctity. The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is-trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive.
Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much. On the other hand, I am sad when souls ask for little, when they narrow their hearts. (1578)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
These thoughts for a day are taken from a daily meditation book based on the Messages of Our Lady of Medjugorje by Father Richard J. Beyer, Ave Maria Press.
May 1 - THE MONTH OF OUR LADY
Referring to the month of May, Our Lady said:
"May this month be for you the month of the rosary and reading your Bible…"(Visionary Prayer Group May 9, 1988).
Reflection:
The month of May means that spring is here, and all of nature seems to rejoice; budding flowers and trees, green grass and sunshine, usher in a season of soft colors and new life.
This is Mary's month, of May crownings, processions, the rosary and, as she says today, a time for reading sacred scripture.
As Catholics, we are aware that the Bible is the inspired word of God, that his presence and truth are found within its pages. In somewhat the same way, nature reveals the image and beauty of God. St. Paul writes, "Since the creation of the world, invisible realities, God's eternal power and divinity, have become visible, recognized through the things he has made" (Rom 1 :20).
As spring unfolds, May we discover anew God's presence in creation, and with the psalmist sing his praise:
You visit the earth and water it, your greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy. Psalm 65 :9-10,12-13
Application:
In celebration of this month dedicated to Our Lady, set aside in your home a May altar, placing on it an image of the Blessed Mother, some spring flowers, a candle, and a rosary. As a family, light the candle each day and offer Our Lady some special prayers, such as the rosary, the litany of Mary, or another prayer for the special intentions of the Queen of Peace.
Medjugorje Day By Day Apr 30 - Everything is Gods gift
Don't limit God - God has all the Grace we need. All we have to do is ask for them.
ASK FOR A SOUL for every WORD you say on your Rosary
AND your Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Pray and ask
Message 25. April 2010
"Dear children! At this time, when in a special way you are praying and seeking my intercession, I call you, little children, to pray so that through your prayers I can help you to have all the more hearts be opened to my messages. Pray for my intentions. I am with you and I intercede before my Son for each of you. Thank you for having responded to my call."
Our Lady said she needs us, Needs our prayers.
Mirjana's Annual March 18, 2010 Message
"Dear children! Today I call you to love with all your heart and with all your soul. Pray for the gift of love, because when the soul loves it calls my Son to itself. My Son does not refuse those who call Him and who desire to live according to Him. Pray for those who do not comprehend love, who do not understand what it means to love. Pray that God may be their Father and not their Judge. My children, you be my apostles, be my river of love. I need you. Thank you."
As Fr Corapi says, "We are at war."
St Padre Pio said, "Give me my weapon!"
The weapon he was talking about was his Rosary.
From St Faustina's Diary #961
+ This morning after completing my spiritual exercises, I began at once to crochet. I sensed a stillness in my heart; I sensed that Jesus was resting in it. That deep and sweet consciousness of God's presence prompted me to say to the Lord, "O Most Holy Trinity dwelling in my heart, I beg You: grant the grace of conversion to as many souls as the [number of] stitches that I will make today with this crochet hook."
Then I heard these words in my soul: My daughter, too great are your demands. "Jesus, You know that for You it is easier to grant much rather than a little." That is so, it is less difficult for Me to grant a soul much rather than a little, but every conversion of a sinful soul demands sacrifice.
"Well, Jesus, I offer You this whole-hearted work of mine; this offering does not seem to me to be too small for such a large number of souls; You know, Jesus, that for thirty years You were saving souls by just this kind of work. And since holy obedience forbids me to perform great penances and mortifications, therefore I ask You, Lord: accept these mere nothings stamped with the seal of obedience as great things." Then I heard a voice in my soul: My dear daughter, I comply with your request.
"Jesus is everywhere . . . . Yes, everywhere! But in His Sacrament of the Altar, as actually present and real as my soul within my body. In His sacrifice, daily offered, as really as once offered on the Cross. Merciful Savior!
Can there be any comparison to such blessedness?" (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton)
Mother Teresa
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
Meditations by Padre Pio
Apr 30 The trials to which the Lord subjects you and will subject you are all signs of divine love and are jewels for the soul. Winter will pass and the never ending spring will come, all the more rich in beauty as violent were the storms (CE 27).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen-
30-Pride is the child of ignorance
"Our hatred of a person often decreases as we learn to know him better. A boy graduating from high school is generally not as humble as when he graduates from medical school. At eighteen he thought he knew it all; at twenty-eight he feels himself ignorant in the face of the medical science he has yet to acquire.
So it is with God. Because we do not pray or contemplate or love Him, we become vain and proud; but when we know Him better we feel a deep sense of dependence which tempers our false independence. Pride is the child of ignorance, humility the offspring of knowledge."
There is only one standard by which we can judge
"Proud people think themselves to be better than they are, and when criticized always believe their neighbor is jealous or has a grudge against them. The humble know themselves as they really are, for they judge themselves as they judge time, by a standard outside themselves, namely, God and His Moral Law."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
Today the Lord said to me, I have opened My Heart as a living fountain of mercy. Let all souls draw life from it. Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust. Sinners will attain justification, and the just will be confirmed in good. Whoever places his trust in My mercy will be filled with My divine peace at the hour of death. (1520)
Today the Lord said to me, My daughter, write down these words: All those souls who will glorify My mercy and spread its worship, encouraging others to trust in My mercy, will not experience terror at the hour of death. My mercy will shield them in that final battle... (1540)
My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet. When hardened sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one. (1541)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY-
These thoughts for a day are taken from a daily meditation book based on the Messages of Our Lady of Medjugorje by Father Richard J. Beyer, Ave Maria Press. To
APRIL 30 - EVERYTHING IS GOD'S GIFT
Speaking of gratitude, the Blessed Mother once said:
"Dear Children, I am calling you to complete surrender to God. Place all that you possess in the hands of God. Only than can you have true joy in your heart.
Little Children, rejoice in all that you have and give thanks to God, for everything is God's gift to you. In this way your life will be one of thanksgiving and you shall discover God in everything, even in the smallest flower." (Monthly Message April 25, 1989).
In his letter to the Colossians, Paul also speaks of gratitude:
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Col 2:6-7).
Reflection:
Gratitude is a universal language and characterizes the spirituality of most religions. Today let us take a look at gratitude as expressed in the Koran, the holy book of Islam:
God is he who created the heavens and the earth and sent down water from the clouds, then brought forth with it the fruits as a sustenance for you…
And he has made subservient to you the sun and the moon pursuing their courses, and he has made subservient to you the night and day. And he gives you all that you ask him, and if you count God's favors, you will not be able to number them; surely man is very unjust, very ungrateful.
Application:
Today, call to mind several reasons in your own life to be grateful to God. Offer a spontaneous prayer of thanksgiving for these gifts.
Medjugorje Day By Day Apr 29 - ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA
"[Eucharistic] Adoration such as that is always more than just talking with God in a general way. But against that could then rightly be voiced the objection that is always to be heard: I can just as well pray in the forest, in the freedom of nature. Certainly, anyone can.
But if it were only a matter of that, then the initiative of prayer would lie entirely with us; then God would be a mental hypothesis—whether he answers, whether he can answer or wants to, would remain open. The Eucharist means, God has answered: The Eucharist is God as an answer, as an answering presence" (Pope Benedict XVI).
"Praise and glory be to you, O loving Jesus Christ, for the most sacred wound in your side . . . and for your infinite mercy which you made known to us in the opening of your breast to the soldier Longinus, and so to us all.
I pray you, O most gentle Jesus, having redeemed me by baptism from original sin, so
now, by your Precious Blood, which is offered and received throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come" (St. Clare of Assisi).
Mother Teresa
It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.
Meditations by Padre Pio -
Apr 29 Walk cheerfully and with a sincere and open heart as much as you can, and when you cannot always maintain this holy joy, at least do not lose heart or your trust in God (Epist IV p 490).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen-
There's no happiness in the realm of the ego
"The modern tendency is toward the affirmation of the ego, the exaltation of selfishness, riding roughshod over others in order to satisfy our own self-centeredness. It certainly has not produced much happiness, for the more the ego asserts itself the more miserable it becomes."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
This firm resolution to become a saint is extremely pleasing to Me. I bless your efforts and will give you opportunities to sanctify yourself Be watchful that you lose no opportunity that My providence offers you for sanctification.
If you do not succeed in taking advantage of an opportunity, do not lose your peace, but humble yourself profoundly before Me and, with great trust, immerse yourself completely in My mercy. In this way, you gain more than you have lost, because more favor is granted to a humble soul than the soul itself asks for... (1361)
Jesus, do not leave me alone in suffering. You know, Lord, how weak I am. I am an abyss of wretchedness, I am nothingness itself; so what will be so strange if You leave me alone and I fall? I am an infant, Lord, so I cannot get along by myself.
However, beyond all abandonment I trust, and in spite of my own feeling I trust, and I am being completely transformed into trust-often in spite of what I feel. Do not lessen any of my sufferings, only give me strength to bear them. Do with me as You please, Lord, only give me the grace to be able to love You in every event and circumstance. Lord, do not lessen my cup of bitterness, only give me strength that I may be able to drink it all.
O Lord, sometimes You lift me up to the brightness of visions, and then again You plunge me into the darkness of night and the abyss of my nothingness, and my soul feels as if it were alone in the wilderness. Yet, above all things, I trust in You, Jesus, for You are unchangeable. My moods change, but You are always the same, full of mercy. (1489)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
These thoughts for a day are taken from a daily meditation book based on the Messages of Our Lady of Medjugorje by Father Richard J. Beyer, Ave Maria Press.
APRIL 29 - ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA
Today the Blessed Mother speaks of divine mercy:
Pray especially on Sunday that the great sign, a gift from God, may come. Pray with fervor and perseverance that God may have mercy on his great children. Go in peace, my angels. May the blessing of God accompany your. Amen. Goodbye (First Years September 6, 1981).
And from Mary's Magnificat in Luke's gospel:
By the tender mercy of our God,
The dawn from on high will break upon us,
To give light to those who sit in darkness
And the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.
---Luke 1:78-79
Reflection:
Of mercy, St. Catherine of Siena once prayed: "O Lord, by reason of your immeasurable love I beg, with all my strength, that you freely extend your mercy to all your lowly creatures." God's unbounded mercy was one of the great motivations of the ministry and work of St. Catherine. A remarkable woman of faith, she was not only a great scholar and reformer of religious life, but also brought peace and concord to the feuding city-states of Italy in the 14th century. Her many writings include The Dialogue on Divine Providence, from which the following is excerpted:
Eternal God, eternal Trinity, you have made the Blood of Christ immeasurably precious through his sharing in your divine nature. You are a mystery as deep as the sea; the more I search, the more I find, and the more I find the more I search for you.
I can never be satisfied; what I receive will ever leave me desiring more. When you fill my soul I have an even greater hunger and I grow more famished for your light. I desire above all else to see you, the true light, as you really are.
Application:
Today, simply offer this little prayer to the Father, also written by St. Catherine:
O tender Father, you gave me more, much more than I ever thought to ask for. I realize that our human desires can never really match what you long to give us.
Thank you, and thank you again, O Father, for having granted my petitions, and even that which I never realized I needed. Amen.
Medjugorje Day By Day Apr 28 - Overcome every temptation
"One of the basic characteristics of a shepherd must be to love the people entrusted to him, even as he loves Christ whom he serves. 'Feed my sheep.' says Christ to Peter, and now, at this moment, He says it to me as well.
Feeding means loving, and loving also means being ready to suffer. Loving means giving the sheep what is truly good, the nourishment of God's truth, of God's word, the nourishment of His presence, which He gives us in the blessed Sacrament" (Pope Benedict XVI, April 24, 2005).
"If we don't want to be fools and blind the intellect there's no reason for doubt. Receiving Communion is not like picturing with the imagination, as when we reflect upon the Lord on the cross or in other episodes of the Passion, when we picture within ourselves how things happened to Him in the past. In Communion the event is happening now, and it is entirely true. There's no reason to go looking for Him in some other place far away" (St. Teresa of Avila).
Mother Teresa
It is impossible to walk rapidly and be unhappy.
Meditations by Padre Pio -
Apr 28 The darkness that sometimes surrounds the heaven of your soul is light. Because of this you think you are in the dark, and you have the impression of being in the centre of a burning bush.
In fact when the bush burns, the air around it is filled with smoke clouds and the bewildered soul is afraid of not seeing, of no longer understanding anything. But it is then that God speaks and is present to the soul: who hears, understands, loves and trembles. Therefore, do not wait for Tabor to see God when you already contemplate Him on Sinai! (GF 174).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen-
28-True passion takes guts and courage
"To revive passion in hearts, one must first understand it. Passion signifies receiving or suffering something or submitting to something. From this, follow two indispensable conditions for passion: knowledge, and some organic or physical change in our sensible nature."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html -
Today the Lord said to me, My daughter, My pleasure and delight, nothing will stop Me from granting you graces. Your misery does not hinder My mercy. My daughter, write that the greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My mercy; [urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy, because I want to save them all. On the cross, the fountain of My mercy was opened wide by the lance for all souls-no one have I excluded! (1182)
O my Jesus, nothing can lower my ideals, that is, the love which I have for You. Although the path is very thorny, I do not fear to go ahead. Even if a hailstorm of persecutions covers me; even if my friends forsake me; even if all things conspire against me, and the horizon grows dark; even if a raging storm breaks out, and I feel I am quite alone and must brave it all; still, fully at peace, I will trust in Your mercy, O my God, and my hope will not be disappointed. (1195)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
APRIL 28 - OVERCOME EVERY TEMPTATION
The Blessed Mother warns of temptations today:
"Dear Children, you know that I promised you an oasis of peace, but don't realize that beside the oasis stands the desert, where Satan is lurking and wants to tempt each one of you. Dear Children, only through prayer can you overcome every temptation of Satan where you are in your life, I am with you, but I cannot take away your freedom. (Weekly Message August 7, 1986).
In Matthew's gospel, Jesus encounters the temptations of Satan:
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, "All these I will give your, if you will fall down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, `Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him." Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him (Mt 4:8-11).
Reflection:
To be sure, if Christ was subject to temptation, we likewise will have share. And yet, according to the Shepherd of Hermas, an early church write: "The devil cannot lord it over those who are servants of God with their whole heart and who place their hope in him. The devil can wrestle with, but not overcome them."
In today's message, Our Lady teaches that only by prayer can we overcome the influence of Satan in our lives. "To realize God's presence," writes Francois Fenelon, "is the one sovereign remedy against temptation." And yet God can even use Satan's wiles for his own ends. As the ancient Hawaiians believed that the strength and color of the enemy he killed passed into himself, so we gain the strength of the temptations we resist.
Application:
Reflect on the following today: "Inconstancy of mind, and small confidence in God, is the beginning of all evil temptations" (St. Thomas a Kempis).
Medjugorje Day By Day Apr 27 - Say "yes!" to Jesus now!
Message of April 25, 2006
"Dear children! Also today I call you to have more trust in me and my Son. He has conquered by His death and resurrection and, through me, calls you to be a part of His joy. You do not see God, little children, but if you pray you will feel His nearness. I am with you and intercede before God for each of you. Thank you for having responded to my call."
Message of April 25, 2005 from Medjugorje
"Dear children! Also today, I call you to renew prayer in your families. By prayer and the reading of Sacred Scripture, may the Holy Spirit, who will renew you, enter into your families. In this way, you will become teachers of the faith in your family. By prayer and your love, the world will set out on a better way and love will begin to rule in the world. Thank you for having responded to my call."
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"Nourished and sustained by the Eucharist, Catholics cannot but feel stimulated to tend towards that full unity for which Christ hoped in the Cenacle.
Peter's Successor knows that he must take on this supreme desire of the Divine Master in a particularly special way. To him, indeed, has been entrusted the duty of strengthening his brethren . . . . 'Mane nobiscum, Domine!' Stay with us Lord!
This invocation, which forms the dominant theme of John Paul II's Apostolic Letter for the Year of the Eucharist, is the prayer that comes spontaneously from my heart as I turn to begin the ministry to which Christ has called me.
Like Peter, I too renew to Him my unconditional promise of faithfulness. He alone I intend to serve as I dedicate myself totally to the service of His Church" (Pope Benedict XVI, April 20, 2005).
"You left us Yourself in the Sacrament of the Altar, and You opened wide Your mercy to us. There is no misery that could exhaust You; You have called us all to this fountain of love, to this spring of God's compassion. Here is the tabernacle of Your mercy, here is the remedy for all our ills . . . . Be adored, O God, in the work of Your mercy . . . . Here is the living fountain of Your mercy, here souls receive consolation and refreshment" (St. Faustina, Divine Mercy Diary).
Mother Teresa
Everything is God's to give and to take away, so share what you've been given, and that includes yourself.
Daily reading from St. Faustina's diary
Today the Lord said to me, My daughter, My pleasure and delight, nothing will stop Me from granting you graces. Your misery does not hinder My mercy. My daughter, write that the greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My mercy; [urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy, because I want to save them all. On the cross, the fountain of My mercy was opened wide by the lance for all souls-no one have I excluded! (1182)
O my Jesus, nothing can lower my ideals, that is, the love which I have for You. Although the path is very thorny, I do not fear to go ahead. Even if a hailstorm of persecutions covers me; even if my friends forsake me; even if all things conspire against me, and the horizon grows dark; even if a raging storm breaks out, and I feel I am quite alone and must brave it all; still, fully at peace, I will trust in Your mercy, O my God, and my hope will not be disappointed. (1195)
Meditations by Padre Pio -
When there is no time for both, meditation is to be preferred to vocal prayer, because it is more fruitful.
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
APRIL 27 - SAY YES TO JESUS NOW!
In a message to Jelena, the locutionist, on commitment, Our Lady said:
« Dear Children, it is truly a great thing when God calls men. Think how sad it would be to let those opportunities pass without taking advantage of them. So do not wait for tomorrow or the day after. Say « yes! » to Jesus now! And may your « yes! » be forever. » (locutionist Jelena & Mirijana May 16, 1987).
When Christ called his disciples, their « yes » was immediate:
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, « Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men, » Immediately they left their nets and followed him (Mt 4:18-10).
Reflection:
An anonymous writer once wrote, « There are two words used a great deal by Jesus in the gospels. One is `come' and the other is `go'. It's no use coming unless you go, and it's no use going unless you come. Christ call us, as he did his apostles, to make a commitment, a lifetime decision, for him. And at the right time, we are then sent forth to draw others to him through our word and example. First `come,' then `go' » This is precisely the message of Our Lady today.
Application:
In your prayer this day, using your own words, commit yourself completely to Christ and his Mother.
