The times we are living through have been foretold both by Our Blessed Mother and in the Holy Word of God. For the second time this writer has decided to stop commenting on the issues of the day and concentrate on prayer. The situation has gone past anything I can do to change it and there is always the danger of scandal.
This column will concentrate on prayer including the Holy Rosary (see below) given the fact that we place our faith on God and His Son Jesus Christ and as He requested trust Him and hand our problems, our troubles, over to Him.
Join us in our journey.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Let us pray
O Jesus I Surrender myself to You, You take over. Amen
Today we continue our lenten journey whereby we reflect on the Stations or the Way of the Cross following Our Lord's final journey in this life leading to His death on a Cross.
Each day we will reflect on a station (two on Good Friday) pray and share reflections of Mary.
Our way of course has a triumphant ending on the final day of our journey when on Easter Sunday we reflect on the lesser known Station - the Resurrection of Jesus
Preparatory Prayer
My Lord Jesus Christ, You made this journey to die for me with love unutterable, and I have so many times unworthily abandoned You; but now I love You with my whole heart, and because I love You, I repent sincerely for ever having offended You. Pardon me, my God, and permit me to accompany You on this journey. You died for love of me; I wish also, my beloved Redeemer, to die for love of You.
My Jesus, I will live and die always united to Thee.
7 Jesus Falls 2nd Time
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.
Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Reflection:
Consider how the second fall of Jesus under His cross renews the pain in all the wounds of the head and members of our afflicted Lord.
Prayer
My Jesus, laden with sorrows, I weep for the sins which I have committed against You because of the punishment I deserve for them; and, still more, because of the displeasure they have caused You who have loved me with an infinite love. It is Your love, more than the fear of hell, which makes me weep for my sins.
I love Thee, my beloved Jesus; I love Thee above all things; I repent with my whole heart of having offended Thee. Never permit me to separate myself from Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
Jesus, for Thee I live, Jesus, for Thee I die, Jesus, I am Thine in life and in death. Amen.
Reflection of Mary
O sweet Mother! Fount of Love,
Touch my spirit from above
Make my heart with yours accord
When my Son fell the second time, my heart sank as he seemed to just lose control and stumble and crumble to the ground. The way he fell to his knees on the hard stones, I could feel the jarring pain through my whole body. Helpless to help him, I again wondered if he could make it.
As I look back with you today, I imagine that this fall placed him together with people with disabilities, with people suffering from all kinds of physical diseases that weaken them, and with all who are aging and must confront the limits of their bodies. My prayer is that all God’s people who know the suffering of these disabilities might know that they can always turn to my Son for understanding and comfort.
With gratitude in our hearts, we take a few moments to find the words to express our feelings to him.
MORNING PRAYER
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.
And you shall renew the face of the earth.
Amen
Today We Celebrate
Palm Sunday
Commemoration
of the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem
Phil2:8-9
Christ was humbler yet,
even to accepting death, death on a cross.
But God raised him high
and gave him the name which is above all names.
The Word of God
Mark 11:1-10 - Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord.
When they drew near to Jerusalem,
to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives,
Jesus sent two of his disciples, and said to them,
‘Go into the village opposite you,
and immediately as you enter it
you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat;
untie it and bring it.
If any one says to you,
“Why are you doing this?” say,
“The Lord has need of it
and will send it back here immediately.”’
And they went away,
and found a colt tied at the door out in the open street;
and they untied it.
And those who stood there said to them,
‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’
And they told them what Jesus had said;
and they let them go.
And they brought the colt to Jesus,
and threw their garments on it;
and he sat upon it.
And many spread their garments on the road,
and others spread leafy branches
which they had cut from the fields.
And those who went before
and those who followed cried out,
‘Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming!
Hosanna in the highest!’
"We are strong, but with Your strength; we are holy, but with Your holiness. And of ourselves, what are we? - less than nothing…”
Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska:
Each day I pray that the Lord
will bless you and keep you.
May He show His face to you
and have mercy.
May He turn His countenance to you
and give you peace.
The Lord bless you!
Amen.
Always remember - Jesus loves you.
Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in our hour of conflict. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.
The Holy Rosary
Our Blessed Mother explained to us what would happen in the World and in the Church if people continued to turn from God. One of the things she asked us to do was to say the Rosary everyday. Please find a few minutes today to fulfil her request.
Today we pray
Only in God is my soul at rest. In Him comes my salvation.
We finish as we begun
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
We recommend
Catholic Prayer Book - theworldofourlord.com
Catholic Catechism - catechismonline.com
The New Testament - thewordofourlord.com
Scripture Rosary - theholywordrosary.com