A few favorite prayers...

....A few that have been especially helpful during this time of hoping and waiting. I have had many "coffee time chats" with our Blessed Mother. How good she is at always leading us back to her Son during our trials! (In such a gentle manner too:)


Prayer to Our Lady of Good Counsel

O Holy Virgin, to whose feet we are lead by our anxious uncertainty
in our search for and attainment of what is true and good, invoking
Thee by the sweet title of Mother of Good Counsel. We beseech Thee
to come to our assistance, when, along the road of this life, the
darkness of error and of evil conspires towards our ruin by leading
our minds and our hearts astray.

Do Thou, O Seat of Wisdom and Star of the Sea, enlighten the doubtful
and the erring, that they be not seduced by the false appearances of
good; render them steadfast in the race of the hostile and corrupting
influences of passion and of sin.

O Mother of Good Counsel, obtain for us from Thy Divine Son a great
love of virtue,and, in the hour of uncertainty and trial, the strength to
embrace the way that leads to our salvation. If thy hand sustains us,
we shall walk unmolested along the path indicated to us by the life
and words of Jesus our redeemer, and having followed freely and
securely, even in the midst of this world's strife, the Sun of Truth
and Justice under they maternal star, we shall come to the enjoyment
of full and eternal peace with Thee in the heaven of salvation.




Prayer to Our Lady Immaculate

Most holy Virgin, who wast pleasing to the Lord and became His Mother, immaculate in body and spirit, in faith and in love, look kindly on the wretched who implore thy powerful patronage. The wicked serpent, against whom was hurled the first curse, continues fiercely to attack and ensnare the unhappy children of Eve. Do thou, then, O Blessed Mother, our queen and advocate, who from the first instant of thy conception didst crush the head of the enemy, receive the prayers which, united with thee in our single heart, we implore thee to present at the throne of God, that we may never fall into the snares which are laid out for us, and may all arrive at the port of salvation; and, in so many dangers, may the Church and Christian society sing once again the hymn of deliverance and of victory and of peace. Amen.

In Thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, Whose Son, Jesus Christ conceived of the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.

A Difficult Sacrifice!

"This probably is not a viable pregnancy." I was crushed when, after two ultrasounds, by OB came to this conclusion. There is probably about a 5% chance that I will ever get to hold my newest little one.

How the feelings from my last miscarriage came flooding back. It was oh, so very familiar. I know that these feelings are completely unique to a mother who realizes that she might be losing her child before she even gets a chance to hold him. It is a special pain, a special cross, and yes, even a special grace from God.

Right now, admittedly, it is more difficult to see the grace during this time, and not just the cross. But seeing the grace, must be my sacrifice for the week. My family now needs me too much to give in to the sadness and desperate feelings. So, even though it seems to hurt even more to look at my children now (because it makes me think of my children I have never met before) I must continue to smile, every time it seems impossible to. I must be what Mothers are groomed and called to be from the very beginning when their newborn is up every half an hour during the night; completely selfless. I cannot "push my feelings and concerns away" because this is not healthy. I must whisper them to God amidst my daily work of being a wife and mother, always with a cheerful face. I must pray to our Blessed Mother for her help,directions, and intercession because out of us all, she knows the most what it's really like to be at that foot of the cross!

God help me to accept your will, whatever it is!

God's will is paradise! -Sister Lucia of Fatima


O Good Saint Anne,
who had the incomparable privilege of bringing into the
world
Her who was to become the Mother of God,
I come to place myself
under your special care.

I confide myself to you,
together with the child I am carrying.
Thousands of children owe you,
Glorious Mother of Mary,
the life of the body and the grace of baptism.
Hence I wish, in my turn,
to place my whole confidence in you.
Make me keep in mind the precautions I need to take
so as not to endanger in any way the health,
good qualities or the eternal salvation
of the child whose very existence
God has placed in my care.

The Beauty of Grace Calendar of Indulgences-A Catholic Comapnay Review

The Beauty of Grace Calendar of Indulgences for 2009 is an extremely wealthy resource for a Catholic family. It is a calendar, yes, but is so much more than that! It seems more like a "family teaching aid for the faith" with a little bit of calendar thrown in for fun!

The absolute highlight of this calendar for me is that it lists both feast days for the new and old (Traditional Rite) calendar! I have never before been able to find a calendar with both feasts listed. It is such a wonderful tool to use with my oldest son to teach him about the different forms of the Mass, and why feasts were moved etc. I can easily look at the calendar in the morning to prepare him for the feast he will celebrate at school that day, but I can also see what the upcoming feast will be on Sunday when we attend our Traditional Latin Rite Mass.

Again, this calendar is really designed for a Catholic who really wants to live their Faith and also take advantage of what the faith offers! As the title states, this calendar also provides detailed information, specific to each month, on the partial and plenary indulgences that can be obtained. Don't know what an indulgence is all about?...the calendar provides information explaining everything on the first page that you would need to know!

For each month, this calendar also provides a short article on the Defense of the Faith. For example, the topic for February is "Mortal and Venial Sins" You will then find several bible verses supporting this Catholic Teaching. It is a great little apologetics lesson!

Other highlights of this calendar include:

*Holy day's of Obligation
*Ember Days
*Days were fasting and/or abstinence must be performed
*Prompts to receive confession and read the bible regularly

The artwork is unique and quite beautiful too, and overall the layout is effective for the purpose of the calendar. The only con that I would have to mention is the font of the specific feast days on the calendar. It is sometimes hard to read and seems a bit blurry.

I would definitely recommend this calendar to any Catholic who wants to learn more about their faith and take advantage of the church's generous opportunities for indulgences.


This review was written as part of the Catholic book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Interested in becoming a reviewer for the Catholic Company? Just go HERE for more information.

Pope Sends Telegram to Obama- Includes Veiled References to Protecting Right to Life

VATICAN CITY, January 20, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a telegram sent today by Pope Benedict XVI to President-elect Barack Obama, the Pope wrote: "On the occasion of your inauguration as the forty-fourth President of the United States of America I offer cordial good wishes, together with the assurance of my prayers that almighty God will grant you unfailing wisdom and strength in the exercise of your high responsibilities." You can read the entire telegram and article HERE.

Personally, after reading and meditating on our Holy father's words to Our President, I have been reminded of my Christian duty to always be charitable and compassionate. (Even when it's really hard:)

Day 7-Retreat A Week of Praying with Saint Clare of Assisi

Day 7
Theme: Redefining Family
(all writings taken from The St. Clare Prayer book-Listening for God's Leading")


"We are not called to a vowed life, as Sts. Francis and Clare were, but we are all called to a life of discipleship. We are called to a life that redefines "family" in ways that Jesus explained two millennia ago....Just as the apostle Paul defined true love for the first time in his First Letter to the Corinthians, Jesus defined family and neighbor in ways that had never been understood. he taught that the prisoner, the outcast, and the unwanted, are our brothers and sisters. We should find new ways to show love to them, to show them that they too, are part of the family of God. St. Francis and St. Clare intended to do nothing less than turn the world upside down. We most often imagine them with birds, flowers....but we may also prays as prop ethic voices with Francis and Clare for the transformation of human relationships."


MORNING


Preparation:

"Set your heart on the concerns of your Father. Open your mind to the truth of your Brother. Listen for the promptings of your Spirit. Amen."


Selected Reading-John 15:15

Our Lord Jesus Christ, says: I shall no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know the master's business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father."

"Blessed lover of humanity, bless all your people. Send into our hearts the peace of heaven, and grant us also peace in this life. Let no sin prevail among us. Deliver those who are in trouble. Set captives free. Give hope to the hopeless and help to the helpless. Lift the fallen, for you are the haven of the shipwrecked." -Liturgy of St. Mark




EVENING



Preparation:

"Know this: The Lord himself is God; he himself has made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture." -Psalm 100:2


Selected Reading-Ephesians 4:1-6

"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all."

A Prayer to the Mother of Consolation

Image

A wonderful prayer, especially during our current times!

O Virgin Most Holy, be the sole and perennial consolation of the Church which you love and protect! Console your bishops and priests, missionaries and religious who have to enlighten and save modern society, which is difficult and sometimes hostile! Console Christian communities by giving them the gift of numerous and solid priestly and religious vocations! Console all those who are invested with authority and responsibility, civil and religious, social and political, so that they may always and only have the common good and integral development of man as their goal, in spite of difficulties and defeats! Console the so many families of those who have emigrated, the unemployed, the suffering, those who bear wounds in their bodies and souls caused by dramatic emergency situations; the young, especially those who find themselves abandoned and deprived of confidence for so many sad reasons; all those who feel ardent need in their souls for love, for altruism, for charity, for forgiving, who cultivate high ideals of spiritual and social gains! Mother of Consolation, console us all, and let all understand the secret of happiness lies in goodness, in always faithfully following your Son, Jesus! --written by Pope John Paul II


This prayer was taken from this Manual of Prayers. Although this prayer book and collection was made specifically for priests and seminarians, it is my favorite prayer book! It includes any prayer that I could ever think of plus new devotions that I have never been introduced to as well! A gem and well worth the price!

Day 6-Retreat A Week of praying with Saint Clare of Assisi

Day 6
Theme: True Discipleship
(all writings taken from The St. Clare Prayer book-Listening for God's Leading")


"St. Clare thought vividly about Jesus before she ever prayed. Several times Clare repeated the image of following his footprints closely, first mentioned in Scripture. She imagined herself quite literally walking behind Jesus, doing as he did on earth.

For St. Clare, one of the most important ways of being a disciple of Jesus was to pray. Many of Clare's prayers were modeled after the ways that Jesus prayed. At various times and in different ways Clare spent days and nights in the "desert" in prayer; she even wished that her sisters would stay awake more often and pray with her; and she instructed her sisters how to pray the Our Father.....We often consider true discipleship to consist of where we go, what activities we do and the like, as though we are doing business for the kingdom. But for some Christians, prayer is the primary vocation. And for all of us, a brilliant and devoted life of prayer is a kind of true discipleship that illuminates the world for Christ..."



MORNING


Preparation:

"Most loving God, you set me apart before I was born and called me through grace. You revealed your blessed Son to me so that I might bless you."


Selected Reading-Matthew 6:24

"Our Lord Jesus Christ, says "No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second."


"A prayer is surely a mother when it conceives virtues by the love of God, and brings them forth in the love of neighbors. Where do you show love, faith, hope, and humility? In prayer. Mental prayers is the motherhood of prayer. By mental prayer the soul receives the reward for the labors she underwent in her imperfect vocal prayer. Then she tastes the milk if faithful prayer. She rises above herself-that is, above the gross impulse of the senses-and with angelic mind unites herself with God by force of love, and sees and knows with the light of though, clothing herself with the truth." - "Make your Prayer Like a Mother, by St. Catherine of Sienna"




EVENING




Preparation:

"You are the Holy One, image of the invisible God; before all things, and in whom all things hold together. Amen"


Selected Reading-Matthew 7:13-14

Our Lord Jesus Christ, says: "Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to destruction is wide and spacious, and many take it, but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

St. Elizabeth often had visions of heaven as she prayed. One day in Lent, she recounted: "I saw the heavens opened, and Jesus leaning toward me in the most kind way, showing me his loving face. I was filled with indescribable joy; and then when his face was gone from my sight, I mourned. Then, he must have taken pity on me, for his face returned before my eyes. He said, "If you wish to be with me, I will be with you." And I replied, "I want nothing to ever separate me from you!" -St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Day 5-Retreat A Week of Praying With Saint Clare of Assisi

Day 5
Theme: Adoring Christ
(all writings taken from The St. Clare Prayer book-Listening for God's Leading")

"Both St. Francis and St. Clare were visual people; they learned by seeing. Eyes are windows to the soul, and images of Christ can be windows to seeing God....St. Clare also believed that the eyes have a special, spiritual function in the body. For her, looking was akin to touching. Gazing on Christ was the way to see with his eyes, and a way to begin to see our true selves as he sees us....St. Clare also taught her sisters to adore Christ in tangible ways, as well. Prayer, for St. Clare brought Christ closer. Through the heartfelt words of prayer, we adore Christ n our speech. When we use an icon in prayer, Christ comes closer through our eyes. And caring for the sick and the poor and the stranger was a tangible way of adoring Christ, taking prayer to the next step, following the teaching of Jesus from Matthew 25: "In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of thee brothers of mine, you did it to me."



MORNING


Preparation:

I bend my knee to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the prayers of our Glorious Virgin Mary, Christ's Holy Mother, and of our Blessed Father Francis, and all the saints, may the Lord who has given us such a good beginning increase the gift and the blessing and our final perseverance together. Amen. -St. Clare of Assisi


Selected Reading-Luke 10:38-42

"Hear the word of the Lord: Now as they went on their way, He entered a certain village, where a woman names Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; So she came to Him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, " Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part."

"Holy One, fill us with reverence and joy, as our spirit withdraws little by little from what is wordily to a more fiery longing for God. And may we turn away from the fleeting things that keep us from drawing near to the solid land of prayer."



EVENING




Preparation:

"Incline your merciful ears, Lord, and illuminate the darkness of our hearts by the light of your visitation. Amen." -Gelasian Sacramentary


Selected Reading-Wisdom of Solomon 7:24-26

"For wisdom is more mobile that any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things. For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness."

"I adore, I venerate, I glory in the Holy Cross, and in our merciful Lord, and what he has done for us. By you hell is spoiled; it's mouth is closed to the redeemed. By you, demons are afraid, restrained, and defeated. By you, the whole world is renewed and made beautiful." -St. Anselm

A Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Today starts a week that has been set aside by the Catholic Church as a special time to pray for Christian Unity. This year's theme is "That they may become one in your hand." (Ezek 37, 17) As my pastor explained today during the homily at Mass, TRUE unity will only happen when all can be one under the Pope in the Holy Catholic Church.

Go HERE for a full article from the Vatican's website.


Prayer for the Reconciliation of Protestants

Almighty Father, Creator of Heaven, Earth, and all that dwells within both realms, we, the faithful lament the loss of our brothers and sisters in Christ from full communion in His Church. Thus we pray with open minds, outstretched arms, and sorrowful hearts that our fellow Christians may experience reconciliation with the Holy Church. We pray for the souls of Martin Luther, John Calvin, and all Protestant leaders who denied Your Church. We pray for not only the spirits of our Catholic brethren, but for all Christians who have passed from this world. Lord God, Most Understanding and Merciful, your only Son was condemned to agonizing death at the hands of evil men so that we may be delivered into eternal life. Let not schism and suspicion taint Your servants. Instead, allow us to celebrate Your appointed Mass as one joyful Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Amen.

US Bishops Write President-Elect; Fundamental Priority: Defend Right to Life

"They also promised to work to protect the lives of the most vulnerable and voiceless members of the human family, especially unborn children and those who are disabled or terminally ill. "We will consistently defend the fundamental right to life from conception to natural death," they said, and "we will encourage one and all to seek common ground that will reduce the number of abortions in morally sound ways that affirm the dignity of pregnant women and their unborn children." They said they will "oppose legislative and other measures to expand abortion" and "will work to retain essential, widely supported policies which show respect for unborn life, protect the conscience rights of health care providers and other Americans, and prevent government funding and promotion of abortion." They warned that "efforts to force Americans to fund abortions with their tax dollars would pose a serious moral challenge and jeopardize the passage of essential health care reform."

Read the rest of the article from the USCCB HERE.

Day 4 Retreat-A Week of Praying With Saint Clare of Assisi

Day 4
Theme:Listening with the Heart
(all writings taken from The St. Clare Prayer book-Listening for God's Leading")

"We all live messy lives, and this is usually what causes us to pray. St. Clare leads us through many steps of faith that help us to find our focus once again. So far, we have approached God, who embraces us, paid careful attention to the purity of our lives, and focused ourselves on the ongoing path of conversion. Each of these themes serves to bolster our spirits, and deepen our attention, as we pray in the midst of everyday life. Now, we are ready to follow Clare into this fourth stage of listening with the heart.

St. Clare speaks most eloquently on this theme in her third letter to St. Agnes. A heart must always be converted since it naturally leans to towards the world. Clare tells Agnes that "the crafty enemy" (which is a combination of the devil and worldly vanity) "infatuates the human heart." But through conversion, we become as Jesus said in the parable, A treasure hidden in a field. The human heart becomes a place of hidden, quiet treasure. God knows it qualities, to be sure, and we gradually do, as well. Such is the process of what theologians call sanctification."



MORNING


Preparation:

"Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden:cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. - Gregorian Sacramentary.

Selected Reading -2Corinthians 3:17-18

"Now the Lord is in the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

"O God in whom is the well of life, and in whose light we may see light: increase in us, we ask the shine of divine knowledge, that we may reach your fountain. Import to our thirsting souls the drinks of life, and restore to our darkened minds the light of heaven. - Mozarabic Sacramentary."



EVENING

Preparation:

"For God alone my soul in silence waits; from him comes my salvation." Psalm 62:1


Selected Reading-Luke 11:9-13

Hear the Word of the Lord: Jesus said "I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; Search, and you will find; Knock, and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door open. What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg hand him a scorpion? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the Heavenly father give the holy spirit to those who ask him!"

"I would like the angels of heaven to be among us. I would like an abundance of peace. I would like vessels full of charity and rich treasures of mercy. I would like cheerfulness to preside over all people, and I would like Jesus to be present. I would like the three Marys of illustrious renown to be with us, and I would like the friends of heaven to be gathered around us from all over and for ever." Amen. -St. Brigid

Frugal Friday-Free Groceries For A Year!

It's been awhile since I did a Frugal Friday so I thought it would be fun to post about a contest that I learned about today while out shopping.

Sav-A-Lot Food Stores has a recipe contest going on right now. You can read all about the details and official rules of the contest HERE, but the Grand prize winner will receive a year's worth of groceries for Free, a $5,000.00 value! Also, there will be 7 runner ups that will each receive $250 gift cards for groceries as well. You can't get more frugal than Free and all you have to do is submit a favorite recipe with a description using ingredients found at Sav-A-Lot.

For more Frugal Tips this Friday you can visit Crystal's Blog Here.

Day 3 Retreat-A Week of Praying With Saint Clare of Assisi

Day 3
Theme: Walking the Path of Conversion
(all writings taken from The St. Clare Prayer book-Listening for God's Leading")

"For both St. Francis and St. Clare, the path of conversion was lifelong and daily at the same time. Each of them advocated what today we would call volunteer poverty. In practical terms, they found that simplicity and joy were most essential for life, and neither were to be found in material things......The fewer things one needs, the more liberated one is to become who one is meant to be in Christ."

MORNING

Preparation:

As the dear longs for the water brooks, so longs my soul for you, O God." -Psalm 42:1


Selected Reading-Psalm 119:1-8 Beati immaculati

Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!

Happy are they who observe his decrees and seek him with all their hearts!

Who never do any wrong, but always walk in his ways.

You laid down your commandments, that we should fully keep them.

Oh, that my ways were made so direct that I might keep your statutes!

Then I should not be put to shame, when I regard all your commandments.

I will thank you with an unfeigned heart, when I have learned your righteous judgments.

I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me.


Lord, and protector, you are our redemption. Direct our minds by your gracious presence, and watch over our paths with guiding love; so that, among the snares that lie hidden in the path where we walk, we may pass onward with hearts fixed on you; so that by the track of faith we may come to be where you would have us to be. Amen. -Mozarabic Sacramentary



EVENING


Preparation:

Author of eternal light, shed continual day on we who watch for you, so that our lips may praise you, our lives may bless you, and our meditations may glorify you, through Christ our Lord. Amen. - Sarum Breviary


Selected Reading-Colossians 1:11-17

"May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. he has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or rulers or powers-all things have been created through Him and for Him. He Himself is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."

"Let us rise up without delay! The scriptures challenge us with these words: "You know what times it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from your sleep." Let us open our eyes to the light that transfigures everything; let us clear our ears for the sound of God's voice that cries out to us each day: "Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Harden not your hearts." - Saint Benedict of Nursia

So That's Why.....!

image

...I have been just exhausted this past week, even unable to complete my St. Clare Retreat that I was very excited and enthusiastic about.



I am expecting! Due, well not too sure about that because of my schedules, but my doctor appointment is next week so I'm sure I will get all the "officials" then. I have had some preliminary blood work to test my levels (due to the fact that I have had a miscarriage due to low progesterone in the past) and so far everything is high and doubling like it should!

Also, regarding the Saint Clare Retreat, I am continuing with it today and will be posting the last 5 selections over the next week.



Powerful is your intercession with God, Mary, for you are his mother. Tender , too, is your love for us, for you are our mother. Confidently , then, I come to you as a child, poor and needy, to seek your aid and protection. In every trial of motherhood, I beg your aid. For the grace of a happy delivery, I come to you. For your holy assistance in guarding and directing each tiny soul with which God entrusts me, I call to you. In every sorrow that comes to me in my motherhood, I confide in you.

That I may have strength to bear cheerfully all the pains and hardships of motherhood, I lean on you. That the sweetness of motherhood may not through my neglect be embittered in later years by pains of regret, I trust in you.
That the will of God may always be fulfilled in me through each act of my motherhood, little and great, I beg your aid. Never forsake me dear Mother, my hope, my consolation, my confidence, and my trust, but ever be at my side to aid and protect me, your needy child. Amen.
Mother of Love, of Sorrow, and of Mercy, Pray for us!

Day 2 Retreat-A Week of Praying with Saint Clare of Assisi

Day 2
Theme: Purity
(all writings taken from "The St. Clare Prayer book-Listening for God's Leading")

"St. Clare was not pure as if she had put on a gown and clothes herself in righteousness. Following Christ is never that simple, even for the saints....Purity is not about being a "young virgin" or going to bed supperless or being "lily white"-but it is, for St. Clare and for us, about a kind of holiness that happens when we "require of Heaven with Upward eyes for all that we desire." Sometimes, purity can be quite measurable and straightforward, such as sexual purity. But purity of the hearts is different; only God knows how we are doing there. For St. Clare purity was never a series of negatives....Thou shall not....For Clare, purity was a state of devotedness to God, renewed each day. In purity came single minded-ness, clarity and freedom."

MORNING:

Preparation:

As the saint have turned to you, again and again, for centuries, we turn to you today, again and again. Our Truer self awaits. Our Truer self awaits.


Selected Reading-Romans 12;1-2, 9-12

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and perfect...Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.



EVENING

Preparation:

Now, remember: it is God who set you apart before you were born, calling your name, revealing his Son to you, so that you might say it again to every human being.


Selected Reading-Matthew 13:18-23a

Hear the word of the Lord: Jesus said , "Pay attention to the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom without understanding, the evil one comes and carries off what was sown in his heart: this is the seed sown on the edge of the path. The seed sown on patches of rock is someone who hears the word and welcomes it at once with joy. But such a person has no root deep down and does not last; Should some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, at once he falls away. The seed sown in thorns is someone who hears the word, but the worry of the world and the lure of riches choke the word and so it produces nothing. And the seed sown in rich soil is someone who hears the word and understands it; This is the one who yields a harvest."

Live always in truth, so that you may die in obedience. Do not look longingly at life lived outside, for the Spirit is better. In love, use discernment, and all that the Lord gives you. When weighed down by illness, or wearied: bear it all in peace and contentment. For you will one day sell all weariness at a high price and you will be crowned a queen in heaven with the Virgin Mary. Amen - A collect for the Ladies of San Damiano (the monastery where St. Clare lived) written by St. Francis of Assisi

Day 1 Retreat-A Week of Praying with Saint Clare of Assisi

Day One
Theme: Embracing Christ
(all writings taken from "The St. Clare Prayer book-Listening for God's Leading")

"You have offered yourself as a Holy and pleasing sacrifice to God." All Christians are called to do this, whether or not we take vow of celibacy in a religious life. What could be more true? For Clare, this embrace or Marriage was total, and it was also Trinitarian.....these ideals of embracing God boil down to seeing oneself entirely in the mirror of Christ, through the aid of the Holy Spirit's leading, and by so doing, to see our true selves.

MORNING:


Preparation:

Heavenly Father, we have offered ourselves as a holy and pleasing sacrifice to you. Make us mindful of our commitment of our whole selves every morning, every noontime, every evening.Only one thing is necessary and it is you. Amen


Selected Reading-Song of Solomon 2:10-13

My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now the winter has past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth it's figs, and the vines are in blossom;they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away."


Keep doing what you are doing, may you keep on doing and do not stop. But with swiftness, agility, and unswerving feet, may you go forward with joy and security knowing that you are on the path of wisdom and happiness. Believe nothing, and agree with nothing that will turn you away from this commitment. Nothing should be allowed to prevent you from offering yourself to the Most High in the perfection to which the spirit of God has called you. - Saint Clare of Assisi


EVENING


Preparation:

O Holy One, our strength is in you.May your Holy Spirit direct and rule our hearts in all ways today through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.


Selected Reading-John 6:35

Our Lord Jesus Christ says: "I am the bread of Life. No one who comes to me will ever hunger;no one who believes in me will ever thirst.

Devote yourself to all that you desire, the most prized possession above all other thing, that is, the spirit of the Lord and the work of God, Amen.

Retreat-A Week of Praying with Saint Clare of Assisi

Part of my New Years resolutions was to learn more about the Saints. I especially wanted to try and learn more about the many that I have not read much about as of yet. Inspired by this I picked up a new book this week called, "The St. Clare Prayer Book, Listening for God's Leading." The cover of this little book is gorgeous and it is what first attracted me to it. After flipping through and reading bits of the text, I decided that Saint Clare would be someone quite nice to pray with!:)

The beginning of the book is a short biography about the life of Saint Clare, how she founded the first order of the Poor Ladies (Poor Clare's), and it also includes a small bit about Saint Francis of Assisi as well.

The majority of the book is actually a weekly liturgy, divided into morning and evening prayers. "The prayers are taken from various sources and are derived from many of the concerns that Saint Clare would have had in her day. Many of the words are the exact same as those that Clare would have prayed and they are all examples of the spirituality of the first Franciscans."

For the next week I will be praying along with Saint Clare in the Morning and Evening and I plan to post excerpts from the prayers that are selected in the book for that day. Each day of meditation also includes a central "theme" so I will post about that as well. I have never studied much about any of the Franciscan Saints or Theology so I am looking forward very much to doing so! Maybe you want to pray along with St. Clare too?:)

Spirtual Resolutions for the New Year

Many people make resolutions for the new year which is great! I have a few "personal" resolutions for myself as well, but I also wanted to make sure not to neglect the need to assess my spiritual growth for the upcoming year and make resolutions in this department as well.



My first resolution is to dive deeper in the lives of my favorite saints and also learn about many new ones too, especially my patron saint for this year, St. Leopold of Austria. I receive countless graces in the form of an understanding of the Faith and my vocation from reading the saints writings and biographies, and I know I must continue on with it.

My other spiritual resolution is to read the entire Bible and Catechism in a year! Wow, seems impossible for a busy wife and mother, but it is absolutely "do-able" with this little, two page guide I found online at The Coming Home Network International. This guide (which is Free!) breaks both books into small readings for each day of the year. Each day it takes me about 20-30 minutes to complete the required reading. I still don't really believe that I will have actually read through the entire Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church in a year, but this guide tells me I will, so I will see!

I will definitely be busy during the coming year! What are some of your goals or Resolutions for this year?

The saints have always been the source and origin of renewal in the most difficult moments in the Church's history. - Pope John Paul II

Novena to Fight FOCA

I am so happy that Deanna over at Not Luke Warm brought this Novena to my attention.

"If you are opposed to abortion then there is bad news on the horizon. For those of you who do not know, the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is set to be signed if Congress passes it on January 21-22 of 2009. The FOCA is the next sick chapter in the book of abortion. If made a law all limitations on abortion will be lifted which will result in the following:

1) All hospitals, including Catholic hospitals will be required to perform abortions upon request. If this happens Bishops vow to close down all Catholic hospitals, more then 30% of all hospitals in the United States.
2) Partial birth abortions would be legal and have no limitations.
3) All U.S. tax payers would be funding abortions.
4) Parental notification will no longer be required.
5) The number of abortions will increase by a minimum of 100,000 annually.

Perhaps most importantly the government will now have control in the issue of abortion. This could result in a future amendment that would force women by law to have abortions in certain situations (rape, down syndrome babies, etc) and could even regulate how many children women are allowed to have. Needless to say this information is disturbing, but sadly true. As Catholics, as Christians, as anyone who is against the needless killing of innocent children, we must stand as one. We must stop this horrific act before it becomes a law.

The Plan
Pray a novena along with fasting starting on January 11th.
For Catholics, the prayer of choice will be the rosary with intentions to stop the FOCA. For non Catholics pray your strongest prayers with the same intentions, also for nine consecutive days. The hope is that this will branch and blossom as to become a global effort with maximum impact.

Please add this information to your own blog or link back to this one so as many people as possible will pray. Remember that with God all things are possible and the power of prayer is undeniable."

Also, if you were not aware, there is a petition that has developed to stop FOCA. So far there are over 350,000 signatures. Go HERE to sign the petition and read more.

Quotes

"The Church neglects one of the duties enjoined upon her when she does not praise Mary. She deviates from the word of the Bible when her Marian devotion falls silent. When this happens, in fact, the Church no longer even glorifies God as she ought."
-Pope Benedict XVI, taken from the book, Behold Your Mother, by Stephen J. Rossetti

"A lot of Christians are spiritually naive, and this makes them vulnerable to the influence of superficial ideas and disinformation. By contract, the act of faith is the only thing that enables you to be reasonable, even though it can at times be inconvenient. Without this intellectus fidei, this intelligent understanding of the Faith, you end up looking for fake salvation; you end up exhausting yourself in the attempt to be your own redeemer. Without the cogitatio fidei, the exercise of thinking "inside" of faith, you end up suffocating under a mass of superstition. -Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, taken from the book, The Last Secret of Fatima.

Reflection on Patron Saint for 2008-Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I was lucky enough this past year to be awarded the patron saint of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Of course I had heard of this woman before, and I knew her as the one who devoted her life to the poor. But Blessed Mother Teresa was so very much more!

One great thing about researching Mother Teresa; there is no lack of information! She truly was a saint of our time, and thankfully was well documented.:) As soon as I began reading about her I was hooked. It must have been the complexity of this woman that drew me in. She made sure her exterior life was very simple and humble, but her interior...her soul...was so extremely complex. I know that I have not even scratched the surface with understanding her holiness, but I know that her way has affected me, and has changed me forever.

A few months into my investigation of this holy woman's life, I found myself a bit calmer, and a bit more trusting than usual that God would provide for every single need of mine and my family's too. I also found myself loving the poor more. Now, I have always tried to help the poor and have had sympathy for them, but not like I do now. Reading Blessed Mother Teresa's writings has me utterly convinced that Christ himself dwells in the lowliest and the ugliest of places and people. And when you can see that Christ is there the desperate, and lonely, and hungry, and tired, and imprisoned, are no longer so...they are all beautiful gifts from God...gifts to help us all on our paths to Heaven and to get closer to Christ, Himself.

Although it is hard to pick just a few books, I must list that my favorites were, Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light - The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta, No Greater Love., and Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady. It is exciting to know that I still have stacks of books available to me to study further about this great, soon to be, saint.

I know that this year, there was a reason why I received Blessed Mother Teresa as my saint, and I have to smile at God when I think of it.:) He is wise and wonderful!

It was so wonderful getting to know Mother Teresa, and now I am excited again because it is a new year which means a new Patron Saint! Esther, over at A Catholic Mom in Hawaii, has a new ministry of choosing Patron saints. If you would like a patron saint for yourself, or anyone else in your family go HERE and you can request one.


A few more links....

Official Site of the Cause of Mother Teresa's Canonization

The Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa's Order)


Blessed Mother Teresa's Daily Prayer
DEAR JESUS, help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others.

New Year!

Ahhhh, I really do love the feeling of the new year! Even the old seems so bright and fresh! The change of the calendar is always a great motivation for me to get things done and spruce up around the home too! It's a time for reflecting on what's worked, and taking those thoughts and turning them into new plans for the future. I'm really looking forward to what God has in store for me!

What are you planning for this next year?:)

Traditional Feast of Epiphany

Epiphany Prayers

Father: Christ has appeared among us.

All: Come, let us adore Him.

Mother: The precious gifts which the Magi brought to the
Lord this day are threefold,
and they are signs of divine mysteries.
By gold the power of the King is signified,
by frankincense His great priesthood,
by myrrh the burial of the Lord.

All: The Magi worshipped the Author of our salvation in
the crib,
and of their treasures they brought to Him gifts of
mystic nature.

Youngest Child: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and
to the Holy Ghost.

All: As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.

Father: Let us pray. O God,
by the leading of a star Thou didst manifest Thine
only begotten Son
to the Gentiles on this day;
mercifully grant that we who know Thee by faith,
may be brought to contemplate the beauty of Thy
majesty.
Through the same Jesus Christ Thy Son.

All: Alleluia.

The following hymn serves well as a conclusion.
Additional verses may be composed by members of the
family.

The Wise Men tune Jesu Dulcis Memoria
Now there appeared a brilliant Star
Which led the wise Men from afar.
They came and, kneeling down, adored
And offered gifts to Christ, the Lord.


Also, another wonderful post on this Feast Day.