Saint Andrew Christmas Novena

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Andrew the Apostle. As Our Blessed Mother Mary always leads us to Jesus, Saint Andrew brought others to Jesus. Andrew told his brother Simon: We have found the Messiah, the Christ; and he brought him to Jesus. 

When Jesus called Andrew and his brother Simon Peter, He said to them, "Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

They immediately dropped their fishing nets and followed him. Let us say Yes to Jesus the way Andrew, Simon and Our Blessed Mother Mary did. Let us call on their intercession in our need.

A novena is normally a nine day prayer, the term is sometimes used for any prayer that is repeated over a series of days. This prayer is often called the "Christmas Novena" or the "Christmas Anticipation Prayer" because it is prayed 15 times every day from the Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle until Christmas. The first Sunday of Advent is the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saint Andrew.

The novena is not actually addressed to Saint Andrew but to God Himself, asking Him to grant our request in the honor of the birth of His Son at Christmas. You can say the prayer all 15 times, all at once; or divide up the recitation as necessary, perhaps five times at each meal. Prayed as a family, the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena is a very good way to help focus the attention of your children on the Advent season.

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

Saint Andrew, you gave your life to follow Jesus. Help us offer our lives to follow Him in all we do and in all we say. Saint Andrew, pray for us.

Saint Catherine Labouré, pray for us!

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Catherine Labouré. In 1830, on the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent, Sister Catherine and her community were gathered in the chapel for afternoon prayers. Suddenly, Our Lady appeared to Catherine and entrusted her with the mission of making and distributing the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, now known as the Miraculous Medal.

At first Mary appeared standing on a globe and dressed in white having with a long white veil which fell to her feet. The Virgin held in her hands, at the height of her shoulders, a golden ball which she seemed to be offering to God as she raised her eyes to heaven. Her fingers were covered with rings whose precious jewels sparkled brilliantly and showered down innumerable rays of light on the globe beneath her feet, almost obscuring the view of her feet. Mary lowered her eyes and looked directly at Catherine. Mary said nothing, but Catherine heard this message, 

"The ball which you see represents the world, especially France, and each person in particular. These rays symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them. The jewels which give no rays symbolize the graces that are not given because they are not asked for." 

Then the apparition changed. Our Lady appeared with a white dress, a blue mantle, and a white veil which draped back over her shoulders. She was still standing on the globe, and had one foot on the head of a serpent which lay at her feet. The 1830 was marked on the globe. The Virgin had her arms and hands pointed downwards, and a cascade of rays was falling down from both hands onto the globe. An oval frame formed around the Blessed Virgin, and written around within it, in letters of gold, was the beautiful prayer, 

"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

Then the vision revolved to show the reverse side of the medal. Catherine saw a Cross with a bar at its feet with which was intertwined an "M" and beneath the "M" were the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, both surmounted by flames of love, one having a crown of thorns, and the other pierced with a sword. Encircling all of this were twelve stars around the oval frame. 

Sister Catherine died on December 31, 1876. In 1895, the cause for sainthood was introduced in Rome and she was beatified on May 28, 1933. When her body was exhumed, after fifty-seven years of burial, it was found to be completely incorrupt and supple. She was canonized a Saint on July 27, 1947.

Saint Catherine Labouré, pray for us!  

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, pray for us and all the intentions we receive through this ministry! 

Feast Day of Jesus Christ the King of the Universe

The good thief, hanging next to Jesus on the cross said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom." Jesus replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:42-43

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Today is the last day of the liturgical year. The new Church Year begins next Sunday on the first Sunday of Advent, a time of waiting in hope and expectation, a time of longing for the coming of the Kingdom of God. We receive Christ the King into our hearts through the Blessed Virgin Mary. She walked with Jesus and always brings us to Him. It is through her love that we have the knowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.

“In that first ‘fusion’ with Jesus in Holy Communion, it was my Heavenly Mother again who accompanied me to the altar for it was she herself who placed her Jesus into my soul.”  Saint Therese of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church

"The Virgin Mary, being obedient to His Word, received from an angel the glad tidings that she would bear God."  Saint Irenaeus, Father of the Church

"I am not only the Queen of Heaven, but also the Mother of Mercy."  Our Lady to Saint Faustina

“King” was one of the earliest titles given to the Son of God. The title does not refer to a status of an earthly king, which many of the Jews had been expecting; someone to overthrow the Roman rule and be an earthly king of the Israel. Rather He came to be the spiritual king; His kingdom is in heaven, not confined to the earth alone. It is an eternal Kingdom of light and truth, of holiness and grace, of justice, love and peace.  The King is love.

And this will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.  1 Timothy 6:15

Jesus Christ, King of Divine Majesty, have mercy on us. Remember us when You come into Your Kingdom. Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth, pray for us.

Mass in Thanksgiving for you...

In thanksgiving, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered monthly for the John 10:10 prayer partners and prayer intentions. 

On this Thanksgiving Day, we give thanks for you and all your prayers. The Lord receives all our prayers and little offerings and places them where they are needed. Prayer is a spiritual work of mercy.

The Lord is good to all, compassionate toward all Your works. All Your works give You thanks, Lord and Your faithful bless You. Psalm 145:9-10

Catechism of the Catholic Church #1330  The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father, a blessing by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for all His benefits, for all He has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. Eucharist means, first of all, "thanksgiving."

Our Blessed Virgin Mary is Mother of the Eucharist. She offered her life and gave her Fiat through obedience and humble service. This is true worship of God, surrendering to His Will. In heaven, she leads a song of eternal praise, like incense raising up to God.

Listen, my faithful children: open up your petals, like roses planted near running waters; send up the sweet odor of incense, break forth in blossoms like the lily. Send up the sweet odor of your hymn of praise; bless the Lord for all He has done!  Sirach 39:13-14

O give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1

Let us give thanks to the Lord and ponder all He has done for us, especially in giving Himself to us in the Eucharist and giving His Mother Mary as our Mother.

The Fifth Luminous Mystery: The Institution of the Eucharist

The Presentation of Mary

In accordance with Jewish custom Mary's parents, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim, named her eight days after her birth, and were inspired to call her Mary.

The Magnificat
The Canticle of Mary

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and Holy is his Name." Luke 1:46-49

Let us pray the words of Saint Bernard who invites us to become a trusting child before Mary, even as the Son of God did:

Look to the star of the sea, call upon Mary. In danger, in distress, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. May her name never be far from your lips, or far from your heart. If you follow her, you will not stray; if you pray to her, you will not despair; if you turn your thoughts to her, you will not err. If she holds you, you will not fall; if she protects you, you need not fear; if she is your guide, you will not tire; if she is gracious to you, you will surely reach your destination.

The meanings ascribed to Mary's name by the early Christian writers and perpetuated by the Greek Fathers. "Bitter Sea," "Myrrh of the Sea," "The Light Giver," "The Enlightened One," "Lady," "Seal of the Lord," and "Mother of the Lord" are the principal interpretations. From the time of Saint Jerome until the 16th century, preferred interpretations of Mary's name in the West were "Lady," "Bitter Sea," "The Light Giver," and especially "Star of the Sea." Stella Maris was by far the favored interpretation. The Hebrew name of Mary, Miryãm, (in Latin Domina) means lady or sovereign; this Mary is in virtue of her Son's sovereign authority as Lord of the World.

We call Mary our Lady as we call Jesus our Lord, and when we pronounce her name we affirm her power, implore her aid and place ourselves under her protection.

Saint Ephrem said, "that the name of Mary is the key of the gates of heaven," in the hands of those who devoutly invoke it.

O Mary, on this Memorial of your Presentation in the Temple, we call upon you and entrust our prayers to you, our most loving Mother.

Reflection: "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me."

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by. He inquired what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me." Luke 18:35-38

Then the crowd rebuked the blind man and tried to silence him, but he persisted in calling out to Jesus. When Jesus heard him cry out, He stopped and asked that the man be brought to Him.

And when he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He replied, "Lord, please let me see." Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you." He immediately received his sight and followed Him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God." Luke 18:40-43

Meditation:

Imagine you are in the crowd and you witness this scene. A blind man hears that Jesus is coming and he calls out to Him, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me." Jesus stops and says, "What do you want Me to do for you?" 

Then Jesus turns and speaks to YOU the same words, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

Call out to Jesus now, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me." Jesus is waiting for you. Are you blinded by the things of the world? Is your heart open to Him? 

Tell Him what you want Him to do for you.

When you have a personal encounter with Jesus, you are changed forever. Sometimes, people will try to silence you or stop you from turning to Jesus. Do not listen to their rebukes. Cry out to Jesus. Turn to Him and tell Him what you want Him to do for you.

Jesus is calling YOU to an intimate encounter. Are you blind or are you open to see Him?

Go to Eucharistic Adoration. Jesus is waiting for you there. He will open your eyes and He will enter your heart. Come away and be still...

Listen, as Jesus speaks to YOU: "What do you want Me to do for you?"

Jesus performs many miracles in order to increase faith. Jesus wants each one of us to have a personal encounter with Him. He wants to touch your heart in an intimate way, to meet you personally. When He comes to you, He will increase your faith and He will heal you in ways you could never imagine. Thank and praise Him for what He has done for you.

"Come away by yourself to a secluded place and rest awhile." Mark 6:31

Reflection: Grace and Mercy

Grace and Mercy are beautiful gifts from God!

Those who trust in Him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with Him in love; Because grace and mercy are with His holy ones, and His care is with His elect. Wisdom 3:9

You are God's elect, His holy ones, and He offers you grace and mercy. Trust in Him and seek Him.

Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His Face continually. Psalm 105:4

Grace: The grace conferred by the valid and fruitful reception of the sacraments. It may be one or more of several kinds. Sanctifying grace is communicated in Baptism, Penance and the Anointing of the Sick. Sanctifying grace is always increased when a sacrament is received in the state of grace. Actual grace is given by all the sacraments. The sacramental character is indelibly imprinted on the soul in Baptism, Confirmation and the Priesthood. A distinctive sacramental grace is imparted by each of the seven sacraments, corresponding to the purpose in the supernatural life in the soul.

Mercy: The disposition to be kind and forgiving. Founded on compassion, mercy differs from compassion or the feeling of sympathy in putting this feeling into practice with a readiness to assist. It is therefore the ready willingness to help anyone in need, especially in need of pardon or reconciliation. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church 1422:  "Those who approach the Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation) obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against Him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion."

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake their way, and sinners their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord and find mercy; to our God who is generous in forgiving. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, oracle of the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:6-9

Our Blessed Virgin Mary offered her life to God giving her Fiat, her yes, to Him through her obedience and humbly surrendering to His Will. Mary will help you seek God. Ask her to be with you and guide you. She will teach you how to give your Fiat and she will always lead you to Jesus.

Meditation:
The Lord is near. Draw near Him and rest your head upon His Sacred Heart. Cry out to Him in prayer. Seek His Face. Turn to Him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Run to Confession. Call upon Mary, Mother of Mercy, to help you. Jesus is there, waiting for you. Come to the fountain of mercy and grace. He will forgive, heal and strengthen you. Come with your pain, sufferings and all your misery. Lay it all down before the Lord. Come and rest upon His Sacred Heart where the Blood and Water gushes forth from the Fount of Mercy.

O Jesus, teach us to know Your ways and raise our thoughts to Your thoughts; help us to seek You and we will find You. O Mary, Mother of Mercy, help us to seek His Face and turn to Him where we will find mercy and healing. 

In honor of our veterans...

Let us reflect and remember all those who have served our country, past and present. Almighty Father, through the powerful intercession of Mary, the Immaculate Conception, we give You thanks for all the veterans who have served and given their lives for our country. O Mary, Queen of Peace, bless and protect them and their families.

"You gave for peace with courage that families may be free so children could grow strong and safe they'd ever be.  In giving for the sake of peace, you may have suffered loss. Your body may still show its wounds from taking up the cause.  May remembrance of your time away, your sacrifice for peace spur us on to strive more strongly for freedom, that there'll be release.  From causes that sent some away to fight that we may freely live with gratefulness we thank you, Veterans, for all you gave and give!" Prayer by Susan Helene Kramer

Blessed Mother Mary, protect our veterans and their families, especially their children. Bring comfort and peace to those who have lost loved ones defending our country. We are honored to have you as the Patroness of America because you are the most powerful intercessor.

In tribute to a special Vietnam veteran, Poppy, grandfather of Lily Grace and Norah.

Reflection: Saint Joseph, Protector of the Family

God chose Saint Joseph to be the Head of the Holy Family. Joseph watched over and protected the Child Jesus and Mary while they were on earth. Joseph was a humble man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the outcome.

When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him the truth about the child Mary was carrying, Joseph immediately, without question or concern, took Mary as his wife. When the angel came again to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left everything and fled to a strange country with his young wife and baby. He waited in Egypt without question until the angel told him it was safe to go back.

God has given Saint Joseph to us as Protector and Guardian of our families. He is a model of trust. Even when he did not understand, he trusted God completely. Saint Joseph is a model for all fathers and protector of families.

Do you have something that weighs heavily on your heart?
Go to Joseph and ask him to intercede to Jesus for your intention and ask him to help you carry the burden as you wait, in confident trust, knowing that Jesus will answer your prayer in His perfect timing.

Prayer To Saint Joseph
O St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph do assist me by thy powerful intercession and obtain for me from thy Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below thy Heavenly power I may offer my Thanksgiving and Homage to the Loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating thee and Jesus asleep in thy arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near thy heart. Press him to my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen.  Pray for nine consecutive mornings for anything you may desire. It has seldom been known to fail.

Pray to Saint Joseph and ask him to be the protector of your family. Spend time each day in quiet prayer as he did.

Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, obtain for us pure, humble,and loving minds and hearts. May we always seek God's Divine Will. Be our guide, our father, and our model through life that we may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.

Reflection: All Souls Day

Today we celebrate All Souls Day. The Holy Souls in purgatory are those who die in God's grace but are still imperfectly purified. In purgatory, they undergo purification so they may attain the holiness they need to enter heaven, to see the Face of God. 

The grace for souls to be cleansed in purgatory comes from God. Purgatory is the place where small sins and attachments are cut. As Pope Francis speaks of the Church as a hospital for the wounded, purgatory is a place where the infection of sin and attachments is removed. 

Our Blessed Mother Mary consoles the souls in purgatory who long to see God. Jesus dictated the Message of Divine Mercy to Saint Faustina. Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Divine Mercy Novena, meditate on the Passion of Jesus and pray the Prayer of Saint Gertrude for souls to be released from purgatory.

One of the most important ways we can prepare ourselves for eternal life is to go often to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In confession, Jesus purifies, forgives, heals and pours out His grace so that we will have the strength to sin no more. Isn't it better to be purified on earth than have to spend time being purified in purgatory! Think of the confessional as the hospital and the priest as the Divine Physician, our Savior Jesus. Run to confession. Go often and you will receive Divine Mercy which will help you remain in the state of grace. 

Pray for the souls in purgatory. They need our help. Our prayers can release them into Heaven. May all the Holy Souls through the Mercy of God rest in peace. They may be our mothers and fathers, our relatives and friends. When they are finally released, they become our friends in heaven and they never cease to pray for those who helped them. Their prayers shield and protect us from evil. Pray for the souls in purgatory daily. 

Saint Gertrude was a mystic and lived a cloistered life as a Benedictine nun. She meditated on the Passion of Christ, which many times brought a flood of tears to her eyes. She did many penances and Our Lord appeared to her many times. She had a tender love for the Blessed Virgin and was very devoted to the suffering souls in Purgatory. She died in 1334. Her feast day is November 16th.

Our Lord dictated the following prayer to Saint Gertrude the Great to release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said.

Prayer of Saint Gertrude the Great
"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."

Sister Faustina was an uneducated nun in a convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Poland in the 1930s. She came from a poor family that struggled during the years of World War I. She had only a simple education. She received extraordinary revelations or messages from Jesus who asked her to record these messages into notebooks which are known today as the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. The words inscribed within the Diary are the Message of Divine Mercy. 

From the Chaplet of Divine Mercy:
"Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world."

Diary of Saint Faustina 1738 The Lord said to me, Enter into Purgatory often, because they need you there. O my Jesus, I understand the meaning of these words which You are speaking to me, but first let me enter the treasury of Your Mercy. 

O Mary, Mother of God, we offer you our prayers and sufferings to release the Holy Souls in Purgatory though the intercession of Saint Gertrude and Saint Faustina.  May you carry these prayers to Jesus, your Beloved Son.

Purgatory and Mercy + Make a Friend in Heaven

Reflection: All Saints Day

Today we honor all the saints. A saint is a person who reflects the holiness of God by living the virtues in a heroic way and showing boundless love and total faith in God. A saint is a model and example for us to follow.

The Church's calendar contains many saint's days, which Catholics observe at Mass, some with special festivities, but there were thousands and thousands of early Christian martyrs, whose names are known only to God. Throughout the history of the Church, there have been countless others who are saints, who are with God in heaven, but have not been canonized saints. They are the Communion of Saints and they continually intercede for us to the Father. In order to honor the memory of these unnamed saints and to recall their example, the Church dedicated to the saints, a special Feast Day Mass, All Saints Day, to celebrate the lives and witness of those who have died and gone before us into the Presence of the Lord.

The saints are our friends. If you are named after a saint, that saint is your patron, who you can call upon in your need, just as a special friend. If you do not have the name of a saint, choose a saint whose life inspires you and ask that saint to be your patron. Read the lives of the saints. Many had great sufferings but they endured them with faith, hope and love. They kept their eyes fixed on Jesus. They teach us how to do the same. They can help us carry our crosses. Saints walk with us on the journey of our lives and they are ready to intercede for us when we ask. You may feel close to a number of saints, "a great a cloud of witnesses." You have many friends in heaven. Call upon them.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, all the Angels and the Communion of Saints, we call upon you as a great cloud of witnesses to help us each day and to pray for us and all those we pray for.