The Willson Family
We wish all of you mother's a wonderful Mother's day and may God and His Most Holy Mother grant you many blessings today and always!!
The Willson Family
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" I am the Mother of fear and of knowledge." Ecclesiasticus, 24:24. Some years ago the Brooklyn Tablet one of the best Catholic papers in the country related the experience of a father who had offered to keep house one day while mother went shopping. This father was an auditor by profession. He had a yen for keeping accounts. Figures were his forte. He could remember them clearly and record them rapidly. He decided to keep a running record of what took place that day. Here are some of the day's totals: Opened the door for children 106 times Closed the door for children 106 times Tied their shoes 16 times Rescued creeping baby 21 times Told two-year old George "don't" 94 times Stopped quarrels 15 times Spread butter and jelly on bread 11 times Distributed cookies 28 times Served glasses of water 15 times Answered telephone 7 times Wiped noses 19 times Answered questions 145 times Stumped by questions 175 times Lost temper 47 times Ran after children (approximately) 4 1/2 miles The exhausted head of the house had to admit that he might have been too busy to record every time, and that there were incidentals, like picking up toys and taking the scissors away from the baby, which he did in stride without having the second of leisure needed to jot it down. His list also failed to include the countless other activities of the average mother: washing and ironing and patching and cooking. It lists not the long hours of watching and nursing, the numberless interruptions of sleep to cover the child, to prepare its bottle, see to its feeding and change its essential clothing. Nor did he record the hours of anxiety when the little one was sick or upset, or when mother was wondering what was going on at school or at play. Neither could he list the wearying worries of mother during the teens of her children. If you want to get some idea of what your mother did for you, watch the mother with little babies—at home, in church, on the street, on the train or bus. What complete, unselfish, taxing service! Try it . Try to hold twenty pounds of squirming, twisting, bouncing flesh, with two tiny hands that reach out for spectacles, ribbons, hats, and every now and then a fistful of human hair. Try to keep him—or her—from putting the streetcar transfer or your Rosary or the collection envelope into that ever-eager mouth. Try to keep him covered and yet not too warm. Yes, and try to show him off to others without his tumbling over the back of the pew in church or the seat in the street-car. Keep him from crying or yelling when the priest is preaching—if you can. Once you were a baby like that. Once some mother held you in her arms, fed you and washed you and changed your clothings at least a "dozen" times a day. That mother is your mother. That mother is every mother. No human auditor or accountant can ever do justice to the ARITHMETIC OF MOTHERHOOD. It takes a recording angel to add up what mothers do for their children. So, too, no earthly reward can ever compensate for the hours and years, the toils and tears, the heartaches and heartbreaks, a child will cost its mother. Such records are kept only in heaven. Rewards for this work are given only in heaven. Nevertheless, we make a fervent if feeble attempt once a year to show our appreciation to those who brought us into the world, for what they have done for us. We set aside a day i n May to honor them and thank them and do a little problem in the Arithmetic of Motherhood—adding up all their sacrifices, their labors and their pains for us. Most appropriately we honor mothers in the month which is dedicated to the Mother of us all . Who could ever compute the ARITHMETIC OF HER MOTHERHOOD? Who could ever add up her hours of prayer and loving aspirations, her penances of poverty, her discomforts, her fears and labors and sorrows? Because she was the Mother of God the Almighty gave Mary every possible beauty and grace. Because she was the Mother of God, we honor Mary on Mother's Day, along with our earthly mothers, who were the first to tell us about our Mother in heaven. To show our appreciation of the ARITHMETIC OF MOTHERHOOD, we need to add many more tokens of praise, many more expressions of thanks, many more proofs of love to Mary and all mothers. We need to multiply our words of gratitude, our gifts this day and all other days, our smiles of love. We need to divide some of the attention we give less important people and less meaningful things, and give some of that devotion to those who deserve it most—our mothers. We need to subtract a great deal of the forgetfulness, lack of appreciation, and downright ingratitude which we have shown them. Our heavenly Mother and our earthly mother have done a limitless list of services for us. May we keep adding daily to the little list of things we can do for them. May God reward, as only God can, every service done us by our Mother in heaven and our mother on earth. Amen. The card below can be printed if you so choose to give to your own mothers.
Our post and coloring picture in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary for May 12th
Queen on the Apostles is our post for the Eleventh of May. You can find it and a coloring picture here.
May 10th is the day to start a Novena to the Holy Ghost. For those of you who may not have a copy, you may find it below:
The novena to the Holy Ghost is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the direction of Our Lord when He sent His apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Ghost on the First Pentecost. It is still the only novena officially prescribed by the Church. Addressed to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light, strength and love so sorely needed by every Christian. NOVENA TO THE HOLY GHOST (Start Novena nine days prior to Feast of Pentecost) ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY GHOST On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses I offer myself, soul and body to Thee O Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy purity the unerring keenness of Thy justice and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In Thee I live move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy light and listen to Thy voice and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee by thy compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart I implore Thee Adorable Spirit Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and of the Son to say to Thee always and everywhere "Speak Lord for Thy servant heareth." Amen. ( This prayer to be recited daily during the Novena) PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Ghost to finish Thy work in the souls of Thine Apostles and Disciples deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul the work of Thy grace and Thy love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal – the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Thy divine truth – the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven – the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with Thee and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation – the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints – the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable – the Spirit of Fear of the Lord that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord with the sign of Thy true disciples and animate me in all things with Thy Holy Spirit. Amen. (This prayer to be recited daily during the Novena) FIRST DAY Holy Spirit! Lord of light! From Thy clear celestial height, Pure beaming radiance give! THE HOLY GHOST - Only one thing is important – eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is to be feared – sin. Sin is the result of ignorance, weakness, and indifference. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Light, of Strength, and of Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will, and inflames the heart with love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, for "The Spirit helpeth our infirmity. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asketh for us." Prayer: Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given us forgiveness of all sins, sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen. Our Father and Hail Mary once, Glory be to the Father seven times. Act of Consecration & Prayer for the Seven Gifts. Note: Repeat The Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost and Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost.). SECOND DAY Come, Father of the poor! Come, treasures which endure! Come, Light of all that live! The Gift of Holy Fear The gift of Fear fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread nothing so much as to offend Him by sin. It is a fear that arises, not from the thought of hell, but from sentiments of reverence and filial submission to our heavenly Father. It is the fear that is the beginning of wisdom, detaching us from worldly pleasures that could in any way separate us from God. "They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and in His sight will sanctify their souls." Prayer: Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, penetrate my inmost heart, that I may set Thee my Lord and God, before my face forever; help me to shun all things that can offend Thee and make me worthy to appear before the pure eyes of Thy Divine Majesty in heaven, where Thou livest and reignest in the unity of the ever Blessed Trinity, God world without end. Amen (Same prayers as before) THIRD DAY Thou, of all consolers best, Visiting the troubled breast, Dost refreshing peace bestow. The Gift of Piety The gift of Piety begets in our hearts a filial affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and respect for His sake persons and things consecrated to Him, as well as those who are vested with His authority, His Blessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our parents and superiors, our country and its rulers. He who is filled with the gift of Piety finds the practice of his religion, not a burdensome duty, but a delightful service. Where there is love, there is no labor. Prayer: Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. Enkindle therein such a love for God, that I may find satisfaction only in His service, and for His sake lovingly submit to all legitimate authority. Amen. (Same prayers as before) FOURTH DAY Thou in toil art comfort sweet; Pleasant coolness in the heat; Solace in the midst of woe. The Gift of Fortitude By the gift of Fortitude the soul is strengthened against natural fear, and supported to the end in the performance of duty. Fortitude imparts to the will an impulse and energy which move it to undertake without hesitance the most arduous tasks, to face dangers, to trample under foot human respect, and to endure without complaint the slow martyrdom of even lifelong tribulation. "He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved." Prayer: Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from Thee, my God and greatest Good. Amen. (Same prayers as before.) FIFTH DAY Light immortal! Light Divine! Visit Thou these hearts of Thine And our inmost being fill! The Gift of Knowledge The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate created things at their true worth—in their relation to God. Knowledge unmasks the pretense of creatures, reveals their emptiness, and points out their only true purpose as instruments in the service of God. It shows us the loving care of God even in adversity, and directs us to glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light, we put first things first, and prize the friendship of God beyond all else. "Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesseth it." Prayer: Come, O Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father; show me the nothingness of earthly things, that I may realize their vanity and use them only for Thy glory and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to Thee, and Thy eternal rewards. Amen. (Same prayers as before.) SIXTH DAY If Thou take Thy grace away, Nothing pure in man will stay, All his good is turn'd to ill. The Gift of Understanding Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Ghost, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion. By faith we know them, but by Understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enables us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony to the faith that is in us; we begin to "walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of God." Prayer: Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and may merit at last to see the eternal light in Thy Light; and in the light of glory to have a clear vision of Thee and the Father and the Son. Amen. (Same prayers as before.) SEVENTH DAY Heal our wounds—our strength renew; On our dryness pour Thy dew; Wash the stains of guilt away! The Gift of Counsel The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must be done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. "Above all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may direct the way in truth." Prayer: Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Thy holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long. Amen. (Same prayers as before) EIGHTH DAY Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the frozen warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray! The Gift of Wisdom Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is written "all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands." It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Saviour: "Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light." Prayer: Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them for ever. Amen. (Same prayers as before) NINTH DAY Thou, on those who evermore Thee confess and Thee adore, In Thy sevenfold gifts, descend; Give them comfort when they die Give them life with Thee on high; Give them joys which never end. Amen. The Fruits of the Holy Ghost The gifts of the Holy Ghost perfect the supernatural virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine inspiration. As we grow in the knowledge and love of God, under the direction of the Holy Ghost, our service becomes more sincere and generous, the practice of virtue more perfect. Such acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of the Holy Ghost. These Fruits in turn render the practice of virtue more attractive and become a powerful incentive for still greater efforts in the service of God, to serve Whom is to reign. Prayer: Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Thy heavenly fruits, Thy charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, faith, mildness, and temperance, that I may never weary in the service of God, but by continued faithful submission to Thy inspiration may merit to be united eternally with Thee in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen. (Same prayers as before.) The Rosary Promises of our Lady is our post for this 10th day of May. You can find it here with a file containing the book, "The Rosary - Crown of Mary" and a coloring page for the children.
Ave Maria - our post for the Blessed Mother on May 9th can be found here.
Thanks be to God for His Love and mercy,
Thanks be to God for His boundless grace, Thanks be to God for the hearts that love us, Thanks be to God for each friendly face. Thanks be to God for strength in suffering, Thanks be to God for joys we've knows, Thanks be to God for the hope He gives us Of life eternal beside His Throne. 1. This feast is of apostolic origin and is celebrated forty days after Easter (on Thursday), because Christ ascended into heaven from Mount Olivet forty days after His resurrection. The Son of God had accomplished His mission in this world; He now returns triumphant and victorious over death and hell, to His heavenly Father. With Him ascend the souls of the Just detained in Limbo ardently longing for this day. Heaven is again opened; Christ has established His Church on earth and prepared her for the coming of the Holy Ghost, whom He is to send. 2. Like Mary and the disciples, who saw Christ ascend into heaven, and ardently longed to follow Him, so should we, on this day, awaken a great longing for our heavenly home. 3. The Paschal candle which has been lit at all solemn Divine Services since Easter is extinguished on this day after the Gospel, and lit no more during the services. This typifies the withdrawal of Christ's visible presence from His Church. OTHER FEASTS which belong to the subsequent commemoration of Easter. 1. The feasts of some of the instruments of the Passion of our Lord, viz: the feast of the Lance and Nails which falls on the Friday after Low Sunday (if it has not been celebrated during Lent); the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross on the 3rd of May, and the Feast of the Crown of Thorns on the 5th of May. These instruments of the Passion are trophies of the victory of Christ, therefore triumphant feasts of the risen Redeemer. Feasts of our Lord's particular sufferings, or instruments of His Passion, are celebrated on the Fridays in Lent, e. g.: the feast of the Crown of Thorns; the Flagellation; the five Wounds, the Precious Blood. 2. No feast of the Blessed Virgin is celebrated during the Paschal season, because Mary is so intimately united with her newly risen Divine Son, that her life forms, as it were, one with His. 3. On the contrary we celebrate the Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph on the third Sunday after Easter. While St. Joseph could not be a witness of Christ's Passion, he has now become a witness of His triumph. With his divine Foster-Son he enters heaven never more to leave His side, and there, by his powerful intercession, becomes the foster-father of mankind. 4. Besides these feasts we find in this season the feasts of many martyrs, as well as that of the Evangelist St. Mark and the Apostles Philip and James, who also suffered martyrdom. The martyrs imitated most perfectly the love of our Redeemer. Christ died for love of man, the martyrs died for love of God. If, then, Easter reminds us of the infinite love of Jesus Christ, so the feasts of the martyrs should remind us of that ardent reciprocal love, which makes us always ready to sacrifice everything, even life itself, for love of God. Source: The Ecclesiastical Year, Imprimatur 1903 A coloring picture can be found below:
Grow in Love for Her, our post for the Blessed Virgin for May 8th can be found here.
We are honoring the Blessed Mother today by sharing the value of the 'Hail Mary.' You can find the post and a coloring picture too, here.
From a manuscript copy of Elizabethan Times.
Almighty God, Father of all "mercies, and God of all comfort, have mercy on us the afflicted members of Thy Catholic Church. Forgive us our sins; give us time to do penance; grace to resist sin and peace to serve Thee in holiness. Comfort us that be prisoners; deliver us that be strangers in dispersion; succour all that be afflicted for confessing Thy Holy Name. Make us worthy to suffer; give us strength to bear, and constancy to confess. Let no fear nor force remove us from Thy unity. Let no craftiness of the Devil deceive us, nor device of men overcome us. Discern, O Lord, Thy cause, humble Thine enemies, recomfort Thy friends that they may give thanks unto Thee, and glorify Thy Name In Thy Holy Church. Grant this, O Lord, for Christ's sake, our Lord, that suffered bitter death to make His Church glorious. Amen. Be strong in love, 0 heart of mine!
Live not for self alone, But find, in blessing other lives, Completeness for thine own. Seek every hungering heart to feed, Each saddened heart to cheer; And when stern justice stands aloof, In pity thou, draw near. Kind, loving words and helping hands Have won more souls for heaven Than all the dogmas and the creeds By priests and sages given. Be strong to hope, O heart of mine! Look not on life's dark side; For just beyond these gloomy hours Rich, radiant days abide. Let hope, like summer's rainbow bright, Scatter thy falling tears; And let God's special promises Dispel all anxious fears. To every grief a Lethe comes, For every toil a rest; So hope, so love, so patient bear-- God doeth all things best. - Grant me, O God, thy grace that in these evil days of false doctrines I may remain steadfast to Thy holy Gospel which in the Catholic Church remains pure and unchanged; never let me be deterred from obeying its precepts, neither by the charms of the world nor by the mockery and reproaches of the wicked.
- Goffine's Devout Instruction, Imprimatur 1880 - In thanks for the redemption the Church sings at the Introit: Declare the voice of joy, and let it be heard, alleluia; declare it even to the ends of the earth: the Lord hath delivered his people. (Isai. xlviii. 20.) Alleluia, alleluia. Shout with joy to God, all the earth: sing ye a psalm to his name, give glory to his praise. (Fs. Ixv.) Glory &c. PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. O God, from whom all good things proceed: grant to Thy suppliants, that by Thy inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by Thy guidance may perform the same. Through &c. EPISTLE. (James I. 22 - 27.) DEARLY BELOVED, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if a man be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he shall be compared to a man beholding his own countenance in a glass: for he beheld himself and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was. But he that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty, and hath continued therein, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. And if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit the fatherless, and widows in their tribulation, and to keep one's self unspotted from the world. EXPLANATION. True piety, as St. James here says, consists not only in knowing and recognizing the word of God, but in living according to its precepts and teachings; in subduing the tongue, the most dangerous and injurious of all our members; in being charitable to the poor and destitute, and in contemning the world, its false principles, foolish customs and scandalous example, against which we should guard, that we may not become infected and polluted by them. Test thyself, whether thy life be of this kind. ASPIRATION. Jesus! Director of the soul ! Give me the grace of true piety as denned by St. James. GOSPEL. (John xvi. 23 30.) AT THAT TIME, Jesus saith to his disciples: Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto, you have not asked anything in my name. Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things I have spoken to you in proverbs. The hour cometh when I will no more speak to you in proverbs, but will show you plainly of the Father. In that day, you shall ask in my name: and I say not to you that I will ask the Father for you, for the Father himself loveth you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples say to him: Behold, now thou speakest plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now we know that thou knowest all things, and thou needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou comest forth from God. Why does God wish us to ask of Him ? That we may know and confess that all good comes from Him; that we may acknowledge our poverty and weakness which in all things need the help of God; that we may thus glorify Him and render ourselves less unworthy of the gifts which He has promised us. What is meant by asking in the name of Jesus? By this is meant praying with confidence in the merits of Jesus, "who," as St. Cyril says, "being God with the Father, gives us all good, and as mediator carries our petitions to His Father." The Church, therefore concludes all her prayers with the words: "Through our Lord, Jesus Christ." It means also that we should ask that which is in accordance with the will of Christ, namely, all things necessary for the salvation of our soul; to pray for temporal things merely in order to live happily in this world, is not pleasing to Christ and avails us nothing. "He who prays for what hinders salvation," says St. Augustine, "does not pray in the name of Jesus." Thus Jesus said to His disciples: Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name, "because," as St. Gregory says, "they did not ask for that which conduces to eternal salvation." Why is it that God sometimes does not grant our petitions? Because we often pray for things that are injurious, and like a good father, God denies them to us, in order to give us something better; because He wishes to prove our patience and perseverance in prayer; because we generally do not pray as we ought; to be pleasing to God, prayer should be made when in a state of grace and with confidence in Christ's merits, for the prayer of a just man availeth much; (James v. 16.) we must pray with humility and submission to the will of God, with attention, fervor, sincerity, and with perseverance. At what special times should we pray? We should pray every morning and evening, before and after meals, in time of temptation, when commencing any important undertaking, and particularly in the hour of death. God is mindful of us every moment, and gives us His grace. It is, therefore, but just that we think often of Him during the day, and thank Him for His blessings. How can we, in accordance with Christs teachings, (Luke xviii. i.) pray at all times? By making the good intention when commencing our work, to do all for the love of God, and according to His most holy will; by raising our hearts to God at different times during the day; frequently making acts of faith, hope, love, and humility, and by repeating short ejaculations, such as: O Jesus! grant me grace to love Thee! Thee only do I desire to love! O be merciful to me! Lord hasten to help me. What is the signification of the different ceremonies that Catholics use at their prayers? The general signification is that God must be served, honored and adored, not only with the soul but with the body; when we pray aloud we praise God, not only with the mind, but also with our lips; when we pray with bowed and uncovered head, with folded, uplifted, or outstretched hands, on bended knees, with bowed and prostrated body, we show our reverence and subjection to the majesty of God, before whom we, who are but dust and ashes, cannot humble ourselves enough. These different ceremonies during prayer are frequently mentioned in both the Old and the New Testaments, and Christ and His apostles have made use of them, as for instance, the bending of the knees, falling on the face, &c. Which is the best of all prayers? The Lord's Prayer which Christ Himself taught us, and commands us to repeat. When said with devotion, it is the most powerful of all prayers. (Matt. vi. 9 13; Luke xi. 2 4.) SHORT EXPLANATION OF THE LORD'S PRAYER. Of what does the Lord's Prayer consist? IT consists of an address, as an introduction to the prayer, and of seven petitions which contain all that we should ask for the honor of God, and for our own salvation. The address is thus: Our Father who art in heaven. What does the word "Our" signify? In the communion of saints we should pray for and with all the children of God; we should be humble and preserve brotherly love towards all men. Who is it that is here called our "Father" ? Our Father is God who has made us His children and heirs of His kingdom through His Son. Why do we say "Who art in heaven", since God is everywhere? To remind us that our true home is heaven, for which we should ardently long, because our Father is there, and there He has prepared our inheritance. For what do we ask in the first petition: "Hallowed be Thy name?" That we and all men may truly know, love, and serve God. For what do we pray in the second petition : "Thy kingdom come?" That the Church of God, the kingdom of Christ, may extend over the whole earth, and the kingdom of sin and the devil be destroyed; that Christ may reign in our hearts and in the hearts of all; and that God will deign to receive us into the kingdom of heaven when our earthly pilgrimage is ended. For what do we ask in the third petition: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?" We beg that God would enable us, by His grace, to do His will in all things, as the blessed do it in heaven. In these three petitions we seek, as taught by Christ, first the kingdom of God, that all the rest may be added unto us. (Luke xii. 31.) For what do we ask in the fourth petition: "Give us this day our daily bread?" We beg for all necessaries for body and souL Why does it say, "this day?" The words "this day" signify that we should not be over anxious for the future, but place all our confidence in God who will provide the necessaries of life. What do we ask for in the fifth petition: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us?" We beg that God will forgive us our sins, as we forgive others their offenses against us. Those who make this petition, and still bear enmity towards their neighbor, lie in the face of God, and will not receive forgiveness. (Mark xi. 25, 26.) What is asked for in the sixth petition: "Lead us not into temptation? We ask God to avert all temptations or at least not to abandon us when we are tempted.' We cannot, indeed, be entirely free from them in this world, they are even necessary and useful for our salvation : for without temptation there is no combat, without combat no victory, and without victory no crown. What do we ask for in the seventh petition: Deliver us from evil?" We beg that God would free us from all evil of soul and body. -Goffine's Devout Instruction, Imprimatur 1888 - Our story and coloring picture to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary for May 4th can be found here.
Our post in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the 3rd of May can be found here.
A lovely story and a coloring picture in honor of the Blessed Mother can be found here.
On everyday during the month of May we will be sharing either a poem, song or story with a picture in honor of our Heavenly Mother and for the children we will add a different coloring page of our Lady each day. So please join us in honoring the Mother of all mothers, the Blessed Virgin Mary! You can find all of these posts here.
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Holy Mother Church
dedicates the month of April to the Holy Ghost COPYRIGHT
The purpose of this website is to share the beautiful Catholic resources that God has so richly blessed us with. All texts unless they are my own words have their sources quoted, and most of them are in the public domain. Any educational items that I have made for or with my children are NOT TO BE USED FOR PROFIT, but are meant to be used for personal use by individuals and families. You may link to our site if you so choose. A Saint for everyday and good reading at:
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April 2024
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