Reflection: I have called you friends

Jesus chose YOU to be His friend. He asks You to keep His commandments and He invites you to spend time with Him, as you do with a dear friend.

"You are My friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from My Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name, He may give you. This I command you: love one another." John 15:14-17

To be a friend of Jesus, He tells us: "Keep My commandments and love one another." When we keep the Ten Commandments, we establish a friendship with Jesus and grow in His Love.

"Sin is hurting the one you love." Venerable Fulton Sheen

Serious sin breaks the Heart of God, a God who loves us even when we sin. He died for us on the Cross to show us how much He loves us. Say NO to sin and say YES to a deep friendship with Jesus. When we stay close to Jesus, in friendship and through the Sacraments, He helps us grow in virtue and love for one another.

Jesus heals us through the Sacraments and speaks to us through the Scriptures. When Jesus calls us His friends, He is inviting us into His life. Friends want to spend time with one another. To know Jesus, spend time with Him in prayer, in silence, reading the Scriptures, in Eucharistic adoration and stay attached to Him by following the commandments and attending Mass, receiving the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation often. By making a good confession, we restore our friendship with Jesus. In this way, we are healed and we get to know Jesus better and know ourselves better.

O Jesus, You are our friend. Help us to imitate You by staying close to Mary, our Blessed Mother. Heal our hearts and bring healing, peace and comfort to all those for whom we pray.

John 10:10 Prayer Ministry ~ Today we celebrate our 14th anniversary!

"I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10

Today we celebrate the 14th Anniversary of the John 10:10 Prayer Ministry. We honor our Blessed Mother Mary on this first day of her month of May. The ministry is consecrated to Jesus Christ, Wisdom Incarnate, through the hands of Mary.

Saint Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, Patroness of  the John 10:10 prayer ministry  "Prayer is, for me, an outburst from the heart; it is a simple glance darted upwards to Heaven; it is a cry of gratitude and of love in the midst of trial as in the midst of joy!"

In great gratitude, we give thanks and pray for our beloved priests who have prayed a Prayer of Entrustment to Mary for this prayer ministry at:  The Basilica of Mary Major in Rome, Italy, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Fatima, Portugal, Sacred Heart Parish Church at the site of St. Bernadette's Baptismal font in Lourdes, France, the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy at the Shrine of the Holy Innocents in Stockbridge, Massachusetts USA, St. Peter's Basilica at the tomb of St. John Paul II, Vatican City, Rome, Italy and the Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Mexico

This ministry began on May 1, 2010 but the prayers actually began in May 2006, praying for an unborn baby, Lily Grace. There were medical problems with the baby and we began praying the novena to Saint Anne that "Lily Grace would have abundant life." Through the intercession of Saint Anne, mother of our Blessed Mother and grandmother of Jesus, Lily Grace was born in November 2006. We give thanks for all the prayers for this precious little baby who is now a healthy and happy seventeen year old who loves her family and her younger sister, fourteen year old Norah!

Over these past years, as we pray each day, we have received so many other names to include in our prayers through this ministry. We pray for families, for unborn babies and for children who are healthy, sick or disabled. We pray for priests and seminarians whose vocations are nurtured in their families. We pray for pregnant women, couples who are trying to become pregnant, couples who want to adopt, mothers who have had miscarriages. We pray for parents who have suffered the death of a baby or a child. We pray for grandparents and their grandchildren. We pray for mothers and fathers who have had an abortion or considered having one and for those who are wounded by abortion. We pray for parents who are struggling to accept their disabled child, as well as parents who embrace their disabled child and see, in that child, the beauty that was created by God.

We pray for families, for the sanctity of all life and for vocations to marriage, the priesthood and consecrated life, which are born and nurtured in families.

Prayer changes things. We give thanks for the John 10:10 prayer partners who pray the Memorare every day for all the names we have received and all the names we will receive. Our hearts are filled with gratitude to the Lord for the ways He has answered the thousands upon thousands of prayers that have been offered throughout these fourteen years. Jesus performs miracles, seen and unseen, through all your prayers.

SWEET VIDEO
(This video was posted on the first blog posting on May 1, 2010)

Reflection: "Peace I leave you; My peace I give to you."

Jesus said to His disciple: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. No as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

When Jesus appeared to His disciples after He had risen from the dead, He greeted them with words of peace.

Imagine how they must have felt! On the Way of the Cross, most of them had abandoned Him. Yet when He came to them, He did not say, "Where were you? Why did you abandon Me?" Instead, Jesus spoke words of consolation and peace and He told His disciples not to be afraid.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." John 14:27

Jesus loves you so much and He wants you to have His peace in your heart. How do you find that peace? Spend time with Jesus in prayer and in silence. When you are alone with Him, tell Him all the desires of your heart, tell Him all your fears and troubles. Then listen. When you quiet your mind and your heart, He will speak to you. As you spend time with Jesus, His peace will come upon you.

Meditation: Ponder these words and allow Jesus to speak in the silence. Open your heart to receive His love and peace. You are His beloved.

"Do not fear for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine. You are precious in My eyes and glorious and I love you." Isaiah 43:1,4

Jesus came to give us peace. He will never leave us alone. Our Lady of Fatima appeared to the shepherd children in 1917 gave us the key to peace in the world. She said, "I am the Lady of the Rosary. Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace in the world."   

"O Blessed Rosary of Mary, sweet chain that unites us to God, bond of love which unites us to the angels, tower of salvation against the assaults of Hell, safe port in our universal shipwreck, we will never abandon you.  You will be out comfort in the hour of death: yours our final kiss as life ebbs away.  And the last word from out lips will be your sweet name, O Queen of the Rosary of Pompeii, O Dearest Mother, O Refuge of Sinners, O Sovereign Consoler of the Afflicted, may you be everywhere blessed, today and always, on heaven and on earth." Saint Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter on the Rosary 

May we always remember Saint John Paul II's Apostolic Letter describing the Rosary as the "sweet chain that unites us to God."  

The Power of the Rosary
"The most holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or, above all, spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families, of the families of the world, or of the religious communities, or even of the life of peoples and nations, that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the holy Rosary. With the holy Rosary, we will save ourselves; we will sanctify ourselves; we will console our Lord, and obtain the salvation of many souls." Conversation between Sr. Lucy of Fatima and Fr. Fuentes, Dec. 26, 1957

Do you desire peace? Do you pray the Rosary daily for peace? If not, begin today. 

Our Lady of the Rosary, we entrust to you all the names we receive through this prayer ministry. Keep them under your protective mantle and always in your loving care. Receive our rosaries and bring about peace in our hearts, our families, our country and our world.  Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

Reflection: "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10

But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:2-3

I recall in a homily about this Scripture, my pastor said, "Listen to the voice of the Shepherd." He said, "How do we listen to the voice of the Shepherd? Through prayer."

When we spend time in prayer, reading the Scriptures, talking to God and listening to Him, we learn to hear His voice. We come to know when He is calling us.

Jesus is calling YOU by name. Can you hear His voice?

Spend time in silence with Jesus, talking with Him as you would with a dear friend. In Eucharistic adoration, Jesus is present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. In a chapel or church, sit before the tabernacle. Jesus is there and He is waiting for you. Make a quiet place in your home and sit in the Presence of the Lord. Go to a place where you feel peace, take a quiet walk or sit by the seashore or a lake. Wherever you go, place yourself in His Presence and listen. He will speak in your heart. You will come to know His voice.

What do you desire to do with a friend or loved one?  You want spend time together. You recognize one another's voice.  You listen and share your heart's desire.

Jesus wants you to spend time with Him and share your heart's desire with Him. He is the Good Shepherd who is always searching for you. When you turn away from Him, He never stops looking for you so He can draw you back. He protects you from danger and from enemies and always watches over you. He will console and heal you and restore your soul.

By His wounds, you have been healed. For you had gone astray like sheep but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. 1 Peter 2:24-25

What a comfort to know that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is the Guardian of our souls!

Place yourself in His arms and rest, knowing you are His beloved child. Be still and listen to His voice...

Jesus came that you may have abundant life, a life lived to the fullest, here on earth and eternal life with Him in heaven. In the Scriptures, there are so many stories of struggles, suffering and pain. Jesus is in the midst of all these difficulties and He is with you in all your sufferings too. Jesus brings peace, the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Jesus is calling YOU by name. Make time to place yourself in His Presence and listen for His voice.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

Reflection: "I am the Good Shepherd."

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He is our Protector and our Refuge. When we wander away and get lost, He never stops looking for us. He knows us by name and we are His own. He watches over His flock and protects us from danger and from enemies. When we are in trouble, He lifts us up on His shoulder or under the safety of His arm and He carries us home.

I am the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11

Meditation:  Imagine you are lost in the forest, wandering, feeling afraid and alone. You cannot find your way out and you do not know where to go for shelter. The sounds of the night frighten you. Suddenly, you hear someone calling your name. It is the Lord, Jesus, the Good Shepherd. He gathers you into His arms and tells you He has been searching for you. He holds you close, as a loving father does. You are safe. Look into His eyes and tell him everything you have been through. Let Him hold you so close you can hear His beating Heart. Let Jesus console you and carry you home to the safety of His fold. You are not alone. Rest with Jesus.

The Lord is my Shepherd. There is nothing I shall want. Psalm 23:1

Today is World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Let us pray for vocations to our Mother Mary.

Mary, Most Holy, as a young woman living in obscurity, you nurtured with loving care, the Word of God made flesh. Please protect and accompany all young men and women to a vocation to the priesthood, consecrated life or marriage. Amen.

Today is also Good Shepherd Sunday.  It is a day to remember and pray for our beloved priests. I have been blessed to know so many beautiful priests, good shepherds. 

There is one priest I want to remember in a special way today. His name is Fr. Greg Staab, OMV (Oblate of the Virgin Mary). Jesus called him to his eternal home on March 1, 2018. Fr. Greg lived his life "all for Jesus through Mary" and he taught others to consecrate their lives to Jesus through Mary. He had a burning love for the Divine Mercy of Jesus. 

Fr. Greg was in hospital or rehabs for more than three years with a very rare disease, but his priestly ministry continued from his hospital bed. There was a constant flow of visitors to see Fr. Greg: priests, seminarians, sisters, friends, hospital patients and hospital workers. For as long as he was able, he celebrated Mass followed by a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration from his hospital bed every day. He inspired me and others with his deep love for the Eucharist and for Mary, our Immaculate Mother, his love for prayer and for the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, his devotion to Saint Therese of Lisieux and Saint Faustina and to the Divine Mercy of God in Jesus Christ who bestows upon us unimaginable graces when we approach the Fount of His mercy.

Immaculate Mary, Mother of God and Mother of Priests, pray for all our good shepherds like Fr. Greg. Keep them under your protective mantle of love and pray for vocations to the priesthood, the consecrated life and marriage from our families, our parishes and our Church.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Reflection: The Conversion of Saint Paul...This man is a chosen instrument of Mine

Saul persecuted the Church without mercy. When Jesus came to Saul, from the sky, a light flashed around him. Jesus said, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" Saul asked who was speaking and the voice said, "I am Jesus, the Nazorean, whom you are persecuting." Saul knew that Jesus had died yet Jesus was speaking to him. Saul was persecuting His followers.

Acts 22:7-8  I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’  I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’

In an instant, Saul was forever changed. Immediately, upon hearing the voice, Saul could not see because He was blinded by the light. His friends led him and he could not see for three days. The Lord gave Saul three days of blindness as He worked on Saul's heart. 

Then the Lord sent Ananias to lay hands on Saul. The Lord said to Ananias, "Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry My Name before Gentiles, kings and Israelites." Acts 3:19 When Ananias laid his hands on Saul, he regained his sight and was baptized. Saul was transformed into Saint Paul because Jesus showered him with His love and mercy. He was the chosen instrument of Jesus.

You are God's chosen instrument, just as Saint Paul. In the darkness of the world today, you will be called to stand up and speak the truth, to be God's witness, to be His instrument. 

When you have an encounter with Jesus, you are always changed. Turn to Jesus and He will restore your soul through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and strengthen you with the Eucharist. Jesus will show you the way. He is the Way and the Truth and the Life. He shines light and scatters the darkness. He gives us the Bread of Life, the Eucharist, to strengthen, heal and nourish us.

Jesus will entrust souls to you, souls He wants you to pray for. 

Offer prayers, fast and make sacrifices for the person you are praying for. Never give up praying for the conversion of a soul. Jesus has entrusted that soul to you and He hears your prayers.

Saint Bernadette Soubirous, pray for us!

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Bernadette Soubirous. Our Lady appeared to her in Lourdes, France in 1858, when she was fourteen years old. The Blessed Mother appeared to her 18 times.

In one of the apparitions, she told Bernadette to drink from the fountain within the grotto. This fountain was unknown and there was no sign of its location. Bernadette scratched the ground and a spring gushed forth from the spot from which she was asked to build a chapel.

This is where The Blessed Mother proclaimed, "I am the Immaculate Conception."

Since Our Lady appeared to Bernadette, Lourdes has been a site for miracles. There have been 67 miracles from the site that have been proven scientifically inexplicable. Mount Saint Mary's Grotto of Lourdes was built two decades after the apparitions of Mary to Bernadette. The grotto at Lourdes is a place of miracles, healings, laying on of priestly hands, and blessings for the sick.

Bernadette entered the convent of the Sisters of Notre Dame in Nevers in 1866, serving our Lord with dignity, grace, and love in her short life. She passed away from tuberculosis in 1879 and was canonized as a saint in 1933. To this day, her body remains incorruptible, showing no signs of decomposition or decay, a sign of the miracles associated with her.

Saint Bernadette once said of the spring she discovered that “one must have faith and pray; the water will have no virtue without faith.” Let us all be inspired by this prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes approach her with faith, hope and love!  

Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Bernadette
Mary, you showed yourself to Bernadette in the crevice of the rock. In the cold and grey of winter, you brought the warmth, light and beauty of your presence. In the often obscure depths of our lives, in the depth of the world where evil is so powerful, bring hope, return our confidence!

You are the Immaculate Conception, come to our aid, sinners that we are. Give us the humility to have a change of heart, the courage to do penance. Teach us to pray for all people. Guide us to the source of true life. Make us pilgrims going forward with your Church, whet our appetite for the Eucharist, the Bread for the journey, the Bread of Life.

The Spirit brought about wonders in you, O Mary, by His power, He has placed you near the Father, in the glory of your eternal Son. Look with kindness on our miserable bodies and hearts. Shine forth for us, like a gentle light, at the hour of our death.

Together with Bernadette, we pray to you, O Mary, as your poor children. May we enter, like her, into the spirit of the Beatitudes. Then, we will be able, here below, begin to know the joy of the Kingdom of Heaven and sing together with you: Magnificat!

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

Reflection: "It is I. Do not be afraid."

Jesus came to the disciples, walking on the sea, and coming near the boar and they were afraid. 

Even though the disciples had just witnessed the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes and even though they had spent so much time with Jesus, their fears took over.

When it was evening, the disciples of Jesus went down to the sea, embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum. It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But He said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid." They wanted to take Him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading. John 6:16-21

The Lord comes to us in the middle of our "storms."

When we focus on the storms, the difficult circumstances, we are alone with our fears but when we cry out to Jesus, He calms us and tells us not to be afraid. Jesus takes us by the hand and raises us above the seemingly impossible surroundings.

Invite Jesus in your life and into the storms of life. When you rely on Him, the storms will not have as much affect on you.

Jesus spoke to the disciples: "It is I. Do not be afraid." He speaks these words to YOU.

Jesus calms us when we are afraid and we feel like the storms are overtaking us. Trust in the Divine Providence of Jesus. Be not afraid.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

When you go through difficult, faith-testing circumstances, reach out to Jesus. Take His Hand when you are afraid, alone, abandoned or tempted. He is waiting for you.

"It is I. Do not be afraid."

Reflection: The Annunciation of the Lord

Today we celebrate the Annunciation of the Lord. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her that she had been chosen by God to be the Mother of the Son of God, the Mother of the Savior of the world.

Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."  Luke 1:30-33

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.  Luke 1:36-37

The angel Gabriel gave Mary two personal messages to encourage and strengthen her.

"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." Luke 1:30

"For nothing will be impossible for God." Luke 1:37

This was a blessing to Mary that would strengthen her for the rest of her life, especially during times of great trial. Then the angel Gabriel revealed to Mary the pregnancy of Elizabeth. Both woman would bear a child through Divine Intervention. These two moments represent two of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, the Annunciation and the Visitation.

Mary responded with her FIAT, her Yes to God:

Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Luke 1:38

How can you give your fiat, your yes, to God the way Mary did?
  
Ask Mary to come to you and help you to trust God the way she did. During the Mass, at the moment of the Consecration, ask Mary to give you a heart like hers. Remember that the Angel Gabriel told Mary to be unafraid. Bring your fears to God and say yes to Him, knowing that all things are possible for Him. Every time you pray the Hail Mary, you call upon her to come to your assistance. This is a powerful prayer through which you greet Mary the way the Angel Gabriel greeted her. Then you call upon her prayers and her assistance, "now and at the hour of our death."

God loves you so much and He wants to overwhelm you with His love. Enter into His Presence and allow Him to touch you with His healing grace. God created you and He wants you to live with Him eternally. God places the highest value on human life. He loves you so much that He sent His Son to become one of us, took on our human nature and became an innocent, completely dependent infant.

When we repeat the words of the angel by praying the Hail Mary, the Word of God dwells among us. Through Mary's humble, obedient Fiat, heaven and earth meet.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee...

Divine Mercy Sunday + The Divine floodgates which graces flow are open today

Today is the Feast of Divine Mercy, the first Sunday after Easter. 

Jesus I trust in You.

Jesus promised extraordinary graces on Divine Mercy Sunday when He said: 
"On that day are open all the Divine floodgates through which graces flow."

"My daughter, tell the whole world about my inconceivable mercy…the soul that will go to confession and receive Holy Communion (on the Feast of Mercy) shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day are opened all the divine floodgates through which graces flow. Let no soul fear to draw near to me, even though its sins be scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come from the very depths of my most tender mercy." Diary of Saint Faustina 699

Divine Mercy Sunday + Fr. Chris Alar, MIC + How to receive the extraordinary graces of this day

Act of Contrition
My, God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things. With Your help, I firmly intend to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid those things that lead me to sin, our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In His Name, my God, have mercy on me.

Spiritual Communion Prayer
I wish, my Lord, to receive You with the purity, humility and devotion with which Your Most Holy Mother received You with the spirit and the fervor of the Saints.

Fr. Chris tells us to ask for these graces for ourselves and for a plenary indulgence for the Holy Souls in Purgatory and to pray this prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, You promised Saint Faustina that the soul that has been to Confession (I have or if I'm unable to go to Confession, but I made an Act of Contrition) and the soul that receives Holy Communion (I have or if I'm unable to receive Holy Communion, but I made a Spiritual Communion) will receive the complete forgiveness of all sins and punishment. Please, Lord Jesus, give me this grace.

In 1931, Jesus appeared to Saint Faustina in a vision and said, “Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You...My gaze from this Image is like My gaze from the Cross.” Jesus described the Image as a “Vessel of Graces” to which people could come and seek His love and mercy, as a source of grace, comfort, solace, hope and miracles. Jesus told Saint Faustina the two rays denote Blood and Water. 

O Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a Fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You.  Jesus I trust in You.

As I gaze at the Image of Divine Mercy, I think about confession. During the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we confess our sins and the priest extends his hand and gives the beautiful words of Absolution, I imagine Jesus standing over me pouring out the rays of Blood and Water from His Heart. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is God’s Mercy to us. He knows we are all sinners and He loves us so much. During confession, Jesus forgives our sins and He pours out His sanctifying grace upon us which helps us to sin no more and strengthens us to be the person He created us to be. 

Confession is where Grace and Mercy meet. Jesus told Saint Faustina to bring her miseries to this Throne of Grace. Once you receive God’s mercy, you have a great desire to share it with other people.  Divine Mercy is a great miracle in the soul. God can take our sufferings, hurts, sins, failures and faults and transform us into something beautiful for Him. God has called you to be His witness, his chosen instrument. In the darkness of the world today, you will be called to stand up and speak the truth, to be His witness. His mercy endures forever.

Jesus is the One we meet in confession and He comes, not just to forgive, but to heal, to free, to strengthen and to transform us through the power and grace of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Run to confession, especially on this Feast Day of The Divine Mercy or within this week. Jesus is waiting for you.