The 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit help us to better follow God's will
/The 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit guide us in our discernment of God’s will and in aligning our lives to God’s plan
Read MoreThe 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit guide us in our discernment of God’s will and in aligning our lives to God’s plan
Read More"God does not ask a great deal of us: a brief remembrance from time to time, a brief act of adoration, occasionally to ask him for his grace or offer him your sufferings, at other times to thank him for the graces he has given you and is giving you. In the midst of your work find consolation in him as often as possible. During your meals and conversations, occasionally lift up your heart to Him; the least little remembrance of him will always be most agreeable."
Brother Lawerence, The Practice of the Presence of God
Prayer to help us love ourselves as God loves us
Read MoreGod’s grace is essential to our salvation; God pours his divine love in us through the Holy Spirit to help us in our journey to holiness.
Read MoreAnima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Permit me not to be separated from you.
From the wicked foe, defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me
and bid me come to you.
That with your saints I may praise you.
For ever and ever.
Amen.
This prayer was written in the earlier part of the 14th century. St. Ignatius of Loyola referred to it often and he put it at the beginning of his Spiritual Exercises.
Beautiful prayer from St. Padre Pio after Holy Communion
Read MoreHappy the soul to whom it is given to attain this life with Christ, to cleave with all one’s heart to him whose beauty all the heavenly hosts behold forever, whose love inflames our love, the contemplation of whom is our refreshment, whose graciousness is our delight, whose gentleness fills us to overflowing, whose remembrance makes us glow with happiness, whose fragrance revives the dead, the glorious vision of whom will be the happiness of all the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem. For he is the brightness of eternal glory, the splendor of eternal light, the mirror without spot.
St. Clare of Assisi
We should strive to shine our light for others as Jesus did during the Transfiguration.
Read MoreO Christ Jesus
When all is darkness,
And we feel our weakness and helplessness,
Give us the sense of Your Presence,
Your Love and Your Strength.
Help us to have perfect trust,
In Your protecting love,
And strengthening power,
So that nothing may frighten or worry us,
For, living close to You,
We shall see Your Hand,
Your Purpose, Your Will through all things.
St. Ignatius of Loyola
I invited God to help me through spiritual discernment and His guidance was obvious and immediate
Read MoreTake, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.
St. Ignatius of Loyola – patron saint of all spiritual retreats and soldiers, as well as founder of the Society of Jesus – pray for us!
“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal. I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Jesus Christ, John 6: 27, 35, 51
The story of how Jesus miraculously multiplied a few loaves of bread and fishes to feed thousands of people beautifully pre-figured both the Last Supper and the Holy Eucharist.
Read MoreTomorrow is the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, one of my favorite saints, apostle to the apostles, and an important supporter of Jesus’ ministry. Why did Jesus say to her “Noli me tangere” outside his tomb?
Read MorePersonal reflection of experiencing deep peace and love while visiting the Knock Shrine in County Mayo, Ireland
Read MoreBeautiful prayer of perfect union with the Holy Trinity by Blessed Elizabeth of Trinity
Read More“Mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us. The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything.”
Have you ever thought of yourself as a prophet? We are called to be prophets but why and how do we live this calling?
Read MoreIn today’s Gospel reading (Mark 5:21-43) we get a powerful lesson on the importance of having humility and an unwavering faith in God’s love and omnipotence during prayers of petition and intersession. Jesus performs the miraculous healings of Jairus' daughter and a hemorrhaging woman because of their intense faith.
Read MoreStart and ending blessing of the meaningful address by Pope Francis in his 2020 Urbi et Orbis for the end of the Corona Virus, March 27, 2020
Start
“When evening had come” (Mk 4:35). The Gospel passage we have just heard begins like this. For weeks now it has been evening. Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities; it has taken over our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a distressing void, that stops everything as it passes by; we feel it in the air, we notice in people’s gestures, their glances give them away. We find ourselves afraid and lost. Like the disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other. On this boat… are all of us. Just like those disciples, who spoke anxiously with one voice, saying “We are perishing” (v. 38), so we too have realized that we cannot go on thinking of ourselves, but only together can we do this.
It is easy to recognize ourselves in this story. What is harder to understand is Jesus’ attitude. While his disciples are quite naturally alarmed and desperate, he stands in the stern, in the part of the boat that sinks first. And what does he do? In spite of the tempest, he sleeps on soundly, trusting in the Father; this is the only time in the Gospels we see Jesus sleeping. When he wakes up, after calming the wind and the waters, he turns to the disciples in a reproaching voice: “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” (v. 40).
Final blessing
“Why are you afraid? Have you no faith”? Dear brothers and sisters, from this place that tells of Peter’s rock-solid faith, I would like this evening to entrust all of you to the Lord, through the intercession of Mary, Health of the People and Star of the stormy Sea. From this colonnade that embraces Rome and the whole world, may God’s blessing come down upon you as a consoling embrace. Lord, may you bless the world, give health to our bodies and comfort our hearts. You ask us not to be afraid. Yet our faith is weak and we are fearful. But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm. Tell us again: “Do not be afraid” (Mt 28:5). And we, together with Peter, “cast all our anxieties onto you, for you care about us” (cf. 1 Pet 5:7).
This blog explores our spiritual growth, our journey seeking holiness in every day life.
Categories
Subscriptions