Reflection: Saint Padre Pio, Pray for us!

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Padre Pio Pietrelcina (1887-1968). Francesco was a devout child and felt drawn to the priesthood at an early age. He became a Capuchin novice at the age of sixteen and was ordained to the priesthood in 1910 after seven years of study. He became known as Padre Pio.

On September 20, 1918, Padre Pio was kneeling in front of a large crucifix when he received the visible marks of the crucifixion, making him the first stigmatized priest in the history of Church. The blood from the stigmata had an odor described by many as similar to that of perfume or flowers. He had many spiritual gifts and other mystical phenomenon. He had the gift of bilocation and was known as a great miracle worker.

Padre Pio had the ability to read the hearts of people who came to him for confession. Saint John Paul II called him the Patron of the Confessional. He heard confessions for ten to twelve hours a day. He would know just the right word of counsel or encouragement that was needed. Even before his death, people spoke to him about his possible canonization. His life was devoted to the Eucharist, the Madonna, the Rosary and prayer.

Venerating the heart of Saint Padre Pio...

Several years ago, my husband and I had an encounter with the Living God. We had the great blessing of venerating the heart of Saint Padre Pio. A few days before this powerful moment, my pastor suggested to me that I send my guardian angel to bring my prayer intentions to Padre Pio's guardian angel. Padre Pio had a great devotion to his guardian angel and so do I. Words cannot describe the emotions I felt, being so close to the heart of this powerful saint. Our pastor had the great honor of holding the reliquary which contains Padre Pio's heart. I kissed it and touched my rosaries and prayer cards to the relic. I felt Padre Pio's love come into my heart.  I brought to him all the desires of my heart and all the intentions of the John 10:10 Prayer Ministry and the Kiss of Mercy Apostolate. From my heart to Saint Padre Pio's heart to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary...

Pray to your Guardian Angel who was given to you by God from the beginning of your life and will remain with you until the end of your life.

Words of Padre Pio:

Pray, hope and don't worry.

Love Our Lady and make her loved; always recite the Rosary and recite it as often as possible.

The storms that are raging around you will turn out to be for God's glory, your own merit and the good of many souls.

We have close to us an angelic spirit who never leaves us for an instant from the cradle to the grave, who guides and protects us like a friend or a brother.

By means of the angels, Jesus calls the poor and simple shepherds, in order to manifest Himself to them. He calls the learned men by means of their science. And all of them, moved by His inner grace, hasten to adore Him.

Come out of anxiety because it is one of the greatest deceivers of true virtue and sound devotion.

May the Mother of Jesus and our Mother, always smile on your spirit, obtaining for it, from her Most Holy Son, every heavenly blessing.

Saint Padre Pio, pray for us and for all the names we receive through this prayer ministry.

Reflection: Taking a child, He placed it in their midst...

Taking a child, He placed it in their midst, and putting His arms around it, He said to them, "Whoever receives one child such as this, in My Name, receives Me, and whoever receives Me, receives, not Me, but the One who sent Me.  Mark 9:36-37

Jesus invites us to be like a child, innocent, open and trusting.

"It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop." Pope Saint John Paul II, The Gospel of Life

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a "Gospel of life." It invites all persons and societies to a new life lived abundantly in respect for human dignity. God entrusted His Son to Mary for the redemption of the world.

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I consecrated you; a prophet to the nations I appointed you. Jeremiah 1:5

Come to Jesus like a little child. This is an invitation to freedom. Bring your pain and suffering and open your heart to Jesus and He will transform you. By surrendering to His plan for your life, Jesus gazes at You with great love. Bring your fears and anxieties to Him and He will shower you in His love and peace. As you allow Jesus to mold you, He will lead you to a path of simplicity and the way of spiritual childhood.

Heavenly Father, we ask You to bless all those for whom we pray. We thank You for the Gift of Your Son Jesus, for the Holy Spirit and for Our Blessed Mother Mary.

Reflection: Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!

Today is the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, an octave after the birthday of Our Lady on September 8th. As Mary stood at the foot of the Cross on which Jesus hung, she willingly suffered along with Him as He gave His life to save the world.

Stabat Mater At the Cross her station keeping stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last. Through her heart His sorrow sharing, all His bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword has passed.

The Seven Dolors or Sorrows, referred to the seven swords that pierced the Immaculate Heart of Mary which was filled with love and entwined with the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Seven Sorrows of Mary
1. The prophecy of Simeon
2. The flight into Egypt
3. Loss of the Child Jesus for three days
4. Mary meets Jesus on His way to Calvary
5. Crucifixion and Death of Jesus
6. The Body of Jesus being taken from the Cross
7. The burial of Jesus

Meditation:

Let us enter into the scene of the Fifth Sorrow of Mary, the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus.

Imagine the sorrow Mary felt as she stood at the foot of the Cross. In her sorrow, Mary had hope. Jesus gave Mary to us. She is our Mother and our Hope. 

"Behold, your Mother." And from that hour, the disciple took her into his home. John 19:27

Place yourself at the foot of the Cross. Turn to Mary and pour out your heart to her. She is your Mother and she loves you dearly. Talk to her about your joys and your sorrows. Allow Mary to listen attentively and console you. Allow Mary to draw you close to her pure and Immaculate Heart. Ask her to help you carry your crosses the way she did and how to ponder all these things in your heart. Ask her to accompany you and help you to know Jesus and accept the Will of the Father for your life.

Mary walks with us and she teaches us couraggio; she teaches us to be brave and to have courage. 

Be strong and courageous. Joshua 1:9

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us and walk with us as we carry our crosses. Draw us to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and your Immaculate Heart.

Reflection: The Most Holy Name of Mary

Saint Anne and Saint Joachim were inspired to name their daughter Mary. Today is the Feast Day of the Most Holy Name of Mary.

We call Mary Our Lady and we call Jesus Our Lord. When we say her name, we call upon her power to intercede to Jesus. We implore her aid and we place ourselves under her loving protection.

And Mary said, "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in the Lord my Savior."  Luke 1:46-47

Mary was the first and perfect disciple of Jesus. She was the first tabernacle for Jesus. She heard the Word of God, she kept and pondered it in her heart and she did what God asked her to do.

Mary heard, kept and did and she teaches us to do the same.

There were many meanings given by the early Christian writers for Mary's name: "Myrrh of the Sea," "The Light Giver," "The Enlightened One," "Lady," "Seal of the Lord," and "Mother of the Lord." From the time of Saint Jerome (347-420) until the 16th century, the names given to Mary in the West were "Lady," "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.

I am so grateful my parents named me Mary. I have felt a closeness to her since my early childhood and always felt honored to share her name. I know she is my Mother and that I can talk to her. Through praying the rosary and meditating on the mysteries of the lives of Jesus and Mary, my closeness to Mary continues to deepen and deepen.

Mary wants a close relationship with you. She loves you so much and she will always lead you to Jesus. Go to Mass and receive the Eucharist daily or as often as you can. After you receive the Eucharist, as you kneel in prayer, ask Mary to wrap her mantle around you, showering her graces upon you and keeping you under her mantle throughout the day. After you receive the Eucharist, you are a tabernacle holding Jesus. Thank Jesus for coming to you in the Eucharist and thank Him for Mary, your Mother. Pray the rosary with your family daily for peace in the world, peace in our country, peace in your family and peace in your heart.

The Prayer of Saint Bernard:
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.

When you are in distress or trouble, turn to Mary. Pray the Hail Mary. She is the Mother of God and she is your Mother. When you call her, she comes to you surrounded by her angels. Mary will always lead you to Jesus. Ask her to hold your hand and to help you trust in her intercession.

O sweet Mother Mary, we call upon your Most Holy Name and we entrust our prayers to you, our Most Loving Mother.

We remember 9/11

On this day, we pray for the repose of the souls who perished twenty three years ago on 9/11/01. We remember and pray for all the victims, the babies, children and families who lost loved ones. We pray for all the courageous heroes who lost their lives saving others. We entrust them to the loving care of Our Blessed Mother Mary.

O Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, cover our nation with your protective mantle and lead us to Your Beloved Son. We ask, through your intercession, that peace be planted in our hearts and the hearts of all people of all faiths and all nations.

"Pray the Rosary every day in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war."  Our Lady of Fatima to the shepherd children May 13, 1917

The message of Fatima is a call to conversion, prayer and penance, to make reparation for the sins against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to make the First Saturday Devotion, to live lives of holiness and to consecrate ourselves and our families to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

O Mother Mary, you held your Beloved Son at the foot of the Cross and He gave you to us as our Mother. "Behold, your Mother." John 19:27

Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy every day for the living and the dead.

"Encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given you (1541).  I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those who trust in My Mercy (687).  Words of Jesus in the Diary of Saint Faustina 

"For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world." From the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Jesus, by Your Cross and Resurrection, You have set us free, You redeemed the world and You turned the Cross from an instrument of terror into the Tree of Life.  We remember how You loved us to Your death and still we celebrate for You are with us here. And we believe that we will see You when You come in Your Glory, Lord.  We remember and we believe. 

Word of God Speaks...

Reflection: Ephphatha! Be opened!

And people brought to Jesus a deaf man with a speech impediment and begged Him to lay His hand on him. He took him off by Himself away from the crowd. He put His fingers into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then He looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" that is "Be opened!" And immediately the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed and he spoke plainly. Mark 7:32-35

Jesus took the man and asked him to come away from the crowd. Jesus invites you to come away with Him every time you come to Mass, every time you come to Him in prayer and every time you come to Him in Eucharistic adoration. To hear God's voice, you need to come to Him in the silence. 

Jesus touched the deaf man's ears and said to him, "Ephphatha!: that is, "Be opened!"  When you come to Jesus, He asks you to be open. Come to Jesus, be open to hear his voice and be open to receive His healing touch.

The deaf man was blessed that the people in the community cared about him. They brought him to Jesus and begged Jesus to heal him. He could not speak for himself so they brought him to Jesus. The healing of the deaf man was an intimate encounter with Jesus.

"Come. Be open. Adore."

They were exceedingly astonished and they said, "He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."  Mark 7:37

Once Jesus has called you to come to Himself, He asks you to be open. In your openness and docility, bow down and adore Hum. Jesus wants to astonish you. Come to Him and adore Him. 

O come let us adore Him.

"Come. Be open. Adore."

Jesus wants to have this kind of intimate encounter with you. Once you do, everything changes. With Mary, our Mother, may the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit dwell in you and open your heart to an intimacy with Him.

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. 1 John 3:1

Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us!

Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta founded the Missionaries of Charity, caring for the poorest of the poor, for the dying and the destitute, for orphans, abandoned children, alcoholics, the aging and street people. Today is her Feast Day. She was faithful to her everyday duties even though she suffered for many years a darkness in her soul. She carried her cross and persevered in prayer.

Mother and her sisters would spend one hour every day praying in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. This hour of Eucharistic Adoration was their daily family Holy Hour through which their community blossomed.

What was the secret of this powerful little woman? She recognized she could do small things with great love. She was a woman of heroic virtue. It was her purity, the purity of heart and of purpose that enabled her to focus every ounce of her energy on her simple and unswerving purpose in life:

To do, to make, to be something beautiful for God.

Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She looked pro-choice politicians in the eye and told them that abortion was murder. She said,

"The greatest destroyer of love and peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself."

Let us ask for her intercession as we pray for souls wounded by abortion:

Kiss of Mercy Prayer 

(To be recited after kissing an image of Jesus)

Jesus, I trust in You. 

May my kiss and Your grace, convert, heal and reconcile

 to the Father one soul wounded by abortion. Amen  

Recite one Hail Mary

Nihil Obstat: +Arthur L. Kennedy. S.T.D., Ph.D.,
Auxiliary Bishop of Boston

Permission: +Sean P. O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Boston

Imprimatur on the Kiss of Mercy Prayer: Date January 25, 2017

Kiss of Mercy Apostolate for Healing from Abortion

On September 5, 1997, God called Mother Teresa home. This tiny woman was recognized throughout the world for her work among the poor. Speaking in a strained, weary voice at her beatification Mass, Pope John Paul II called Mother Teresa “an icon of the Good Samaritan.” and that her life was “a bold proclamation of the Gospel.”

When Mother Teresa died, she owned nothing but her rosary beads and her distinctive white-and-blue sari. She was enveloped in an immense odor of sanctity. She did so much to serve so many others and had such a great influence on the world. She abandoned her life to God in service of the world.

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Teresa of Calcutta

May we be little pencils allowing God to use us to spread love in the world. May we do small things with great love to make something beautiful for God.

"For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, God's building." 1 Corinthians 3:9

Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us and all those for whom we pray through this ministry. 

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Hail Holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria!

Today is the Feast Day of the Queenship of the Blessed Mother Mary. Pope Pius XII established this feast in 1954, but Mary’s Queenship has roots in Scripture, such as in the Annunciation and the Visitation in the Gospel of Luke.

The feast is celebrated on the octave day of the Feast of the Assumption. In his encyclical "To the Queen of Heaven" Pope Pius XII pointed out that Mary deserves the title because she is Mother of God, because she is closely associated as the New Eve with the redemptive work of Jesus, because of her perfection and her intercessory power.

Mary was assumed or carried into Heaven by Jesus and the angels. Jesus ascended or went up to Heaven by His own power. Mary does not have that kind of power, so Jesus carried her. After she was assumed into Heaven, Jesus took His Mother to a throne next to His own. Jesus, God our Father and the Holy Spirit placed a beautiful crown of twelve stars on her head.

The Blessed Virgin Mary shares in the glory of her Risen Son, because shares in His work of saving souls. As His Mother, she carried Him in her womb, gave Him birth, raised Him through childhood and into adulthood and stayed with Him at the Foot of the Cross.

Mary is our gentle Mother and she is a powerful warrior against evil. Turn to Mary in all your needs. She will accompany you throughout your life. She will console you in your sorrows and she will protect you against evil.

Mary is Queen to all of us. She obtains all graces for us through her prayers. As our mother and as Jesus's Mother, she will always intercede for us to her Son, and lead us closer to Him. Let us bring all our needs and prayers to her.  O Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth, pray for us and for all those for whom we pray.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, pray for us!

Today we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, who wrote of the great spiritual advantage of true devotion to our Blessed Mother.

Saint Bernard was an Abbot and Doctor of the Church. During his lifetime, he suffered with many anxieties and illnesses. He had a deep devotion to Mary and taught that we can turn to her in all our needs. Mary is our Mother. She understands us and she knows our sufferings and she invites us to be her trusting children.

The Memorare Prayer was written by Saint  Bernard. 

The Memorare
Remember, most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother, to you do I come before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.  O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

When we pray this prayer, with great faith, we gain confidence in Mary's powerful intercession, especially when we are in desperate need of God's help. This prayer reminds us that never was it known that anyone who fled to her, implored her help or sought her intercession was not aided. If we seek Mary's help, she will help us.

He also wrote this beautiful prayer:

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.

Let us ask for Our Lady's intercession to Jesus. Her heart was pierced when she heard Simeon's words, as she held her precious baby. She did not understand, but she kept and pondered all things in her heart. Let us unite our sufferings with Jesus and turn to Mary for protection.

A similar message is reflected in another title of Mary, which appears in the official Litany of the Virgin, Morning Star. Both titles refer to Mary as a symbol of hope and as a foreshadowing of the imminent coming of Jesus. A combination of the two themes produces Star of the Sea.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux wrote, "If the winds of temptation arise; If you are driven upon the rocks of tribulation look to the star, call on Mary; If you are tossed upon the waves of pride, of ambition, of envy, of rivalry, look to the star, call on Mary. Should anger, or avarice, or fleshly desire violently assail the frail vessel of your soul, look at the star, call upon Mary."

Holy Mary. Mother of God, listen to our prayers and save us from every danger. O glorious and Blessed Virgin Mary, help us to imitate you, to ponder everything in our hearts and turn to you in all our needs.

Reflection: "Let the children come to Me."

Blessed are You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; You have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom. Matthew 11:25

Jesus took a little child and had the child stand among them. Jesus took the child in His arms and told the disciples that unless they become like children they will never enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Let the children come to Me and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. After He placed His hands on them, He went away. Matthew 19:14-15

Jesus said, come to Him, like a little child. Come as you are, come with all of your problems and worries. Come messy, come with stumbling words. Come to Him and ask for guidance and help. Trust less in yourself and trust more in God. On many occasions, Jesus told his disciples that they need to become like little children. Jesus said to come with the simple trust of a child.

Come to Jesus like a little child. This is an invitation to freedom. Bring your pain and suffering and open your heart to Jesus and He will transform you. By surrendering to His plan for your life, Jesus gazes at You with great love. Bring your fears and anxieties to Him and He will shower you in His love and peace. As you allow Jesus to mold you, He will lead you to a path of simplicity and the way of spiritual childhood.

Heavenly Father, we ask You to bless all those for whom we pray. We thank You for the Gift of Your Son Jesus, for the Holy Spirit and for Our Blessed Mother Mary.