Prayers for Father Murad

Prayers for Father Murad

   I am asking that we offer up prayers, rosary, mass, etc... for Father Murad who was beheaded in Syria by the Jabhat al-Nusra jihadi group on Sunday. Below is the Press release from the Vatican. Please also pray for all the Priests, Religious and Catholics. who because of their faith are in jeopardy of being attack or murdered for their beliefs. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may we be able to practice and stand up for the Catholic Faith and do so all around the world. 

The Vatican press release reads:

On Sunday, June 23 the Syrian priest François Murad was killed in Gassanieh, in northern Syria, in the convent of the Custody of the Holy Land where he had taken refuge. This is confirmed by a statement of the Custos of the Holy Land sent to Fides Agency. The circumstances of the death are not fully understood. According to local sources, the monastery where Fr. Murad was staying was attacked by militants linked to the jihadi group Jabhat al-Nusra.

Father François, 49, had taken the first steps in the religious life with the Franciscan Friars of the Custody of the Holy Land, and with them he continued to share close bonds of spiritual friendship. After being ordained a priest he had started the construction of a coenobitic monastery dedicated to St. Simon Stylites in the village of Gassanieh.After the start of the Civil War, the monastery of St. Simon had been bombed and Fr. Murad had moved to the convent of the Custody for safety reasons and to give support to the remaining few, along with another religious and nuns of the Rosary.

"And what else.........."

"And what else.........."

Those who conceal their sins do not prosper, but those who confess and forsake them obtain mercy. ~ Proverbs 28:13

    There was always one thing I feared when I would sit in the confessional and I guess that one thing is the reason why I did not sit there as often as I should have. That one thing was “What if the Priest says “ Your sins are not forgiven”. I was always afraid of that but last week when I sat in the confessional there was something said that I never heard from any Priest or even heard that it was said to anyone else by a Priest. After I said my sins the Priest said “ And what else?” 

    I was in shock and yet even more shocked as more things came from my mouth. Then again He said “ And what else” and again more came out.  Then came a full dialogue between the Priest and myself. Well, it was more of Him talking and me saying “Yes Father, I understand Father, Your right Father”.... For once there was nothing more I could say. I was absolved and I left in shock of what went on. 

   It was not that I was hiding things from confession but more that I tend to speak in generalities and do not go into specifics. It is like when you order that meal in the drive up. “ I will take a number 4 with a coke”. You do not say what it is just the number and your set and they understand. Its the same in confession for me its like “ I committed 2, 4 and 6. (Do not bother to check commandments I just made the number up :) ) Then you are off to do your penance. It did not work that way this time. 

   It is not that I do not know my sins, I am fully aware of them but when they are put in categories and placed under headings it takes away some of the reality of them. Yet, this time when I heard them out loud it become a new reality of the life I was living. It was not a holy life that I wanted to be living. I did not say that to the priest but he said things that would help to be living that holy life. It was what I needed to hear. 

  This all happened at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. This will be important to know for the next part. As much as I knew He was right I started to doubt it. Maybe thats just what He does and says to everyone. So, I let it go as just a coincidence. Then he next night I decided to go to church back home for prayer for Vocations. There was a Seminarian from the Diocese who is assigned there for the summer. He got up to do a talk and says He is from the Seminary in DC and spoke about what He did to lead a more Holy life before entering the seminary. There is no shock to anyone, I bet, that it was everything that the priest said to me the day before in the confessional.  I guess God wanted to make sure that the message just did not stay in DC but made the message come to my home from DC without my help. 

    I left that night on top of the world. Thinking of what and how I am going to go about the Holy Life that I really want from my heart and soul. It is in these moments where I stop and say out loud “ God really does pay attention to everything and wants the best for me”. Things will need to shift in my life for more of those things that I need to do. I know in the end both God and myself will be happier. 

    Lesson learned : Be 100% open in confession. Do not try and lump things together to make it easier but truly listen to what has gone on so one can correct those things in the present and future.

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may you open your mouth so the truth, the whole truth, will come forth and open your eyes to the life you live.

St. Irenaeus

St. Irenaeus

Feast day: June 28

Died: 202

The writings of St. Irenaeus entitle him to a high place among the fathers of the Church, for they not only laid the foundations of Christian theology but, by exposing and refuting the errors of the gnostics, they delivered the Catholic Faith from the real danger of the doctrines of those heretics.

He was probably born about the year 125, in one of those maritime provinces of Asia Minor where the memory of the apostles was still cherished and where Christians were numerous. He was most influenced by St. Polycarp who had known the apostles or their immediate disciples

Many Asian priests and missionaries brought the gospel to the pagan Gauls and founded a local church. To this church of Lyon, Irenaeus came to serve as a priest under its first bishop, St. Pothinus, an oriental like himself. In the year 177, Irenaeus was sent to Rome. This mission explains how it was that he was not called upon to share in the martyrdom of St Pothinus during the terrible persecution in Lyons. When he returned to Lyons it was to occupy the vacant bishopric. By this time, the persecution was over. It was the spread of gnosticism in Gaul, and the ravages it was making among the Christians of his diocese, that inspired him to undertake the task of exposing its errors. He produced a treatise in five books in which he sets forth fully the inner doctrines of the various sects, and afterwards contrasts them with the teaching of the Apostles and the text of the Holy Scripture. His work, written in Greek but quickly translated to Latin, was widely circulated and succeeded in dealing a death-blow to gnosticism. At any rate, from that time onwards, it ceased to offer a serious menace to the Catholic faith.

The date of death of St. Irenaeus is not known, but it is believed to be in the year 202. The bodily remains of St. Irenaeus were buried in a crypt under the altar of what was then called the church of St. John, but was later known by the name of St. Irenaeus himself. This tomb or shrine was destroyed by the Calvinists in 1562, and all trace of his relics seems to have perished.

Shrine Pilgrimage

Shrine Pilgrimage

 On Wednesday I will be going to the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the Blessed John Paul II shrine. If anyone would like me to bring along some prayer intentions or would like a candle to be lit you can comment and I will do so. You do not have to be specific if you rather not be and can just ask for a special intention. It has been a long time since I have been to the Basilica and looking forward to the trip again. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and remember as a community we pray for and together. 

Chasing the Reflection

Chasing the Reflection

    Tonight was the “Super Moon”, the fullest and closest the moon will be to the earth all year. The moon for me has always been a reminder of the reflection of Jesus’ during the dark part of life. That no matter how dark or how the world or problems may cover the moon, it still shines for us to give us light.  I wanted to get a picture of it but figured it would be raining but as I got home the rain stopped and the clouds started to diminish and the Moon started to show. I went in got my camera and out I went to get a picture of the moon. 

   It still amazes me how a lesson comes to me about life or God when I least expect it. The night started off for me to just get a picture but learned more from it. I headed out n the direction of the moon and soon realized that I was heading in the direction of St. Martha’s and thought great I can get a picture from the parking lot. Yet, as I took the pictures, the lights from the parking lot made the image of the moon glow around it due to the fog. At first I thought the picture was not great but as I focused more on it, I started to see how the light is going out and extending from the moon. It is allowing the light to shine more and then I realized I am in the parking lot of the Catholic Church. Just as the moon reflects the light from the sun in the heavens , the Church reflects the light of Jesus to us here on earth. From the Church, Jesus expresses and expands all that He is to His people. 

    I wanted to get the moon over the ocean so I got in my car and headed out to find a spot. As usual as I drove I turned down roads that had dead ends or took me further away from the moon and the water. Same as life at times. That as we search and follow that Light of Jesus, we may find a dead end and have to turn around and search for it again. Maybe the road we are on takes us further from Jesus then brings us closer. We have to stop and turn around and take the right turn to get closer to Him. I finally turned down the right road and there was the access to the beach and I started to take some pictures and a stranger started to talk to me saying how bright and brilliant the moon looked.  Then said to me “ Don’t you want to get out of the light of the street light and get some better pictures?” I just smiled and thought how here I am not wanting to go through the sand to get that better picture without that distortion of the street light. It was odd because at the church the light seemed to enhance the picture of the moon but this light made it harder to see, it was foggy, not clear. Here the light from the world, like the world itself can distort and make it foggy to follow Jesus and our Faith. The world can seem brighter and takes our focus off of God, Jesus and the Faith and turns us away. 

   After moving further down the beach and away from the “lights” of the world I was able to get some great pictures with the ocean reflecting the light back up and out to the rest of the beach. We are to do both those things as well. We are to reflect the love back to the Heavens and to the world around us. 

      When I started the night in search of the best shot of the moon, I followed and headed in the direction of the moon. No matter what road I took or turned down my focus was on the moon. Sometimes it seemed I was right on target but only to find that dead end sign, so I turned and again set my sight on that light I wanted to capture. That is how I want to be each day. To get on the road and search and stay focused on the Heavens and my Faith. The ride home was not as great because the moon was in back of me as I drove. There was none of that excitement and awe I had just hours before. It was that same feeling as a life without God, Jesus and the Faith was for me. You will never know what life could be if you do not turn your sight around and head to the reflection of the Son in the world. 

      The Catholic Church, those who fill the pews each week or day, The Pope, our Priests and Religious are to reflect all that Jesus was, is and will be in the world of darkness and sin. Look up each night as a reminder of what we are to do each and every day, a reflection of Heaven here on earth. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may us all reflect all that God has given to us back to Him and those of this world so they may come to know Him. 

Prayer for Freedom

Prayer for Freedom

   The U.S. bishops have called for a Fortnight for Freedom, a two-week period of prayer and action, to address many current challenges to religious freedom. We are called to share the Gospel and Love of Jesus yet, it is not always welcomed in public places because some might be offend by the mention of God. I am asking that we all take extra time to pray for the freedom to do so and act out by writing to our Politicians to express  the need for this freedom. Below I have included a prayer that we all can share. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may our religious freedom be a freedom and not a choice. 

INTRODUCTION
Christ the Lord has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Let us turn to him in humble but fervent petition,
seeking the grace to root out from our hearts all trace of darkness, and all that holds us back
from walking in the full freedom of the children of God.
As Christ is our great model for that inner freedom,
which enables us to do the right,
let us turn to him with confidence
that we, too, may follow him to the fullness of spiritual freedom.

Lord, have mercy; 

Christ, have mercy; 

Lord, have mercy;

Jesus, victor over sin and death...                                 Free our hearts
Jesus, source of light and hope...                                   Free our hearts
Jesus, fullness of truth and mystery...                          Free our hearts
Jesus, teacher of seeking hearts...                                  Free our hearts
Jesus, healer of body and soul...                                    Free our hearts
Jesus, bringer of mercy and justice...                            Free our hearts
Jesus, who humble the heart and mind...                     Free our hearts

Jesus, release of captives...                                               Free our hearts
Jesus, voice against violence...                                         Free our hearts
Jesus, courage for the lowly/downtrodden...               Free our hearts

Jesus, origin of all authority and power...                     Free our hearts

Jesus, true lawgiver...                                                        Free our hearts
Jesus, unity of order and passion...                                 Free our hearts
Jesus, freedom of the Spirit...                                          Free our hearts
Jesus, obedient Son of the Father...                                Free our hearts

For the freedom to love...                                                Give us your grace
For the freedom to believe...                                            Give us your grace
For the freedom to hope...                                               Give us your grace
For the freedom to worship...                                          Give us your grace
For the freedom to serve in charity...                                Give us your grace
For the freedom to care for the suffering...                       Give us your grace

For the freedom to comfort the sick...                                Give us your grace
For the freedom to feed the hungry...                                 Give us your grace
For the freedom to shelter the homeless...                        Give us your grace
For the freedom to proclaim the Gospel...                         Give us your grace
For the freedom to walk in chastity...                                 Give us your grace
For the freedom to live in peace...                                       Give us your grace
For the freedom to work in good conscience...                  Give us your grace

For the freedom to stand in solidarity...                             Give us your grace
For the freedom to seek justice...                                         Give us your grace

For the freedom to reject sin...                                             Give us your grace
For the freedom to reject coercion...                                    Give us your grace
For the freedom to reject falsehood...                                  Give us your grace
For the freedom to reject evil temptations...                       Give us your grace

For the freedom to reject injustice...                                    Give us your grace

CLOSING PRAYER
O God, who gave one origin to all peoples
and willed to gather from them one family for yourself,
fill all hearts, we pray, with the fire of your love
and kindle in them a desire
for the just advancement of their neighbor,
that, through the good things which you richly bestow upon all, each human person may be brought to perfection,
every division may be removed,
and equity and justice may be established in human society. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.
Amen.

Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer

  I have been looking up information on prayers for a project I am working on and came across these prayers for the morning to get our day started. These set the course for how and what our day should be given up for.  I have picked some different prayers for you to choose from to start your day off. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may our morning offerings bring unyielding Graces all day long. 

Morning Prayers

1

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the

Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, the reparation for sin, and the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.

2

My God, I adore You, and I love You with all my heart. I thank you for having created me, made me a Christian, and preserved me this night. I offer You the actions of this day. Grant that all of them may be in accordance with Your holy Will and for Your greater glory. Protect me from sin and from all evil. Let Your grace be always with me and with all my dear ones. Amen.

3

Lord Jesus Christ, in union with that divine intention with which You offered to God Your praises on earth through Your most Sacred Heart, and now offer them in the Sacrament of the Eucharist everywhere even to the end of time, I most gladly offer You throughout this entire day, all my thoughts and intentions, all my affections and desires, all my words and deeds, in imitation of the most holy heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate. Amen.

4

Into Thy hands, O God, we commend ourselves this day, and all those who are dear to us. Let the gift of thy wonderful presence be with us even to the end of the day. Grant that we never lose sight of Thee all the day long, but rather praise and beseech Thee, that our thanks may come to thee again at its close. Amen