Our Lady holding Jesus as He accepts flowers from the shepherd child

Our Lady holding Jesus as He accepts flowers from the shepherd child

Welcome to our intercessory prayer ministry for families, babies, little ones and those who love them.

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

The
Prayer of Entrustment to Mary was prayed for this ministry at the icon of the Madonna Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the Roman People, Our Lady of Good Health) in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Basilica of Mary Major) in Rome, Italy, in Nossa Senhora do Rosario da Fatima (Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary) in Fatima, Portugal, in Eglise du Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart Parish Church), the site of St. Bernadette's baptismal font, in Lourdes, France and at The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts at the Shrine of the Holy Innocents before Our Lady of Guadalupe and at Basilica Papale de San Pietro in Vaticano (St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City) at the Tomb of St. John Paul II in Rome, Italy and at the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe) in Mexico City, Mexico.

This ministry is consecrated to Jesus Christ, Wisdom Incarnate, through the hands of Mary and dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. In our prayers to Mary, we honor and worship her Son Jesus. When He was on the Cross, He gave His Mother to John and she became our Mother as well. "Behold, your Mother." John 19:27

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
For the greater glory of God

September 29, 2014

Feast Day of the Archangels: Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael

What is an Angel? Sacred Scripture and the Church's tradition enable us to discern two aspects. On the one hand, the Angel is a creature who stands before God, oriented to God with his whole being. All three names of the Archangels end with the letters "EL", which means "God". God is inscribed in their names, in their nature. Their true nature is: existing in his sight and for him. In this very way, the second aspect that characterizes Angels is also explained: they are God's messengers. They bring God to men, they open heaven and thus open earth.  Pope Benedict XVI

The angels have five duties. The first is to continually sing hymns and praises to their Creator. The second duty is to present the prayers of mortals to God and commend them with their petitions. The third duty consists in their being sent as messengers to declare what God wants to declare. The fourth duty is protecting men whether as individuals or groups. The last duty is to serve as soldiers and armed leaders. Let good men love their fellow citizens, the angels.  Saint Robert Bellarmine

The archangel Michael, whose name in Hebrew means "Who is like God?", is revered as the leader of the angelic army who will conquer Satan and his armies of demons, and is considered the defender of the Church. Michael is often shown wearing armor, slaying the Dragon (Satan) in Revelation 12.

The archangel Gabriel, whose name in Hebrew means "Strength of God", announced the birth of John the Baptist to Zachariah, and soon after, announced to Mary that she was to become the mother of Our Lord. His address to her, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee" (the "angelic salutation") is familiar to all who pray the Rosary.

The archangel Raphael, whose name means medic or ointment of God, is mentioned by name in the Old Testament book of Tobit (Tobias), whom the angel aided by healing him of blindness and guiding him on his travels.

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Revelation 12:7-9

The angels that appear in Scripture are never described as having wings. In fact, in several passages, the people who are visited by angels do not realize these messengers from On High are not ordinary men until it is revealed later.

Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Exodus 23:20

Bless the Lord, all you his angels, mighty in power. You obey His Word and heed the sound of His Voice. Psalm 102:20

Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, we ask your powerful protection on all the prayer partners of this ministry and all those for whom we pray.

September 24, 2014

Reflection: My Family...One Body in Christ

I am blessed to have a beautiful family.  I thank the Lord for them every day!  We pray together.  My family is like most families.  We have experienced joy, happiness, sufferings and peace in the midst of trials.  This reflection is not about my family at home.

This reflection is about my family away from home; my Daily Mass Family.  We come together in a sacred place, Saint Joseph Chapel, to begin each day with the celebration of the Mass.  The Eucharist is the center of my family.  We are made one with Christ and one with each other through the Eucharist.  We are God's family by our participation in the Mass and receiving the Holy Eucharist.  During the Mass, we come together as a family, not as individuals isolated from one another.  We celebrate the Eucharist as a faith family.  It is here we find our identity and unity as members of the Body of Christ.

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.  1 Corinthians 12:12

In my Daily Mass family, there is love.  We are people from all walks of life who gather together for morning Mass.  Our family consists of many members, young, older and in the middle.  Before Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours are prayed followed by the Rosary.  There is a woman who prays a decade in Italian and a man who prays a decade in his native language of Cebu in the Philippines. There are many strong prayer warriors in our Daily Mass family.  There is a young couple with two little boys who have been coming to daily Mass since the boys were babies. There are teachers, nurses, a former police chief, an FBI agent, an owner of a construction company, two consecrated virgins, two nuns, one who is very sick and has received much love, prayer and support from our Daily Mass family. There is a woman who has volunteered in prison ministry for about forty years.  She teaches the men in prison how to pray the rosary and she follows up with them when they are released.  There is a man who has served the poor as a member of Saint Vincent de Paul about forty years too.  There is a woman who paints and restores the statues in our church and chapel.  Her work is exquisite.  There is a woman who lost her son.  She shares with others her great gift of Italian cooking.  There is a woman in the Focolare movement who has a beautiful gift of reaching out to people in our Daily Mass family.  One of the older men recently lost his last living sibling.  She went to his home to check on him.  When one member suffers, all the members suffer.

In this is love.  1 John 4:10

Our beloved pastor leads our parish with love, vision, wisdom, strength, humility and kindness.  He is the head of our parish and our Daily Mass family.  We have been blessed with so many beautiful priests over the years, holy and humble servants.  They are members of our family and they remain in our hearts and prayers even when they are no longer with us.  We have been truly blessed by many seminarians who come and live in our parish guided by our pastor.  We also have a number of seminarians from our parish.  These vocations are the fruits of prayer and Eucharistic Adoration, which we have in our chapel for many continuous hours.    

If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.  1 Corinthians 12:26

This week, we lost a beloved member of our Daily Mass family.  She was crossing the street on the way to morning Mass and was hit by a pickup truck.  We are all saddened and distraught at her loss. We pray for her soul, for her family and the young man who hit her.  It is believed solar glare was the cause.  We pray for our Daily Mass family. When one member suffers, all the members suffer.

A few months ago, another member of our Daily Mass family was driving to Mass and praying the rosary.  Another driver ran a red light and hit her car.  It was traumatic and for her and her family. She had broken ribs and a small puncture of her lung.  She says the Madonna and the Rosary protected her. She was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, prayers and support she received from our Daily Mass family. When one member suffers, all the members suffer.  As she recuperated, her friends brought the Eucharist to her every day.  She believes she healed quickly through receiving the Eucharist and all the prayers and Masses that were offered for her. One of our prayer partners was recently in a very serious accident.  A truck hit her from behind at a fast speed.  She was praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at the time of the accident.  She believes those prayers saved her.  She has a great devotion to Saint Faustina,  Looking at her car, no one could believe she walked away from the accident.  We are all united in love and through our prayers for one another.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts; nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord.  As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are your ways above My ways and My thoughts above your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

We do not know God's ways or His thoughts or why one survives an accident and another does not.  When we cling to Jesus through Mary, in confident trust, they will lead us to know and do His Will.

Some of the words of a song by Irish singer Dana:
We are one body, one body in Christ and we do not stand alone.  We are one body, one body in Christ and He came that we might have life.  When you eat My Body and you drink My Blood, I will live in you and you will live in My love.  We are one body, one body in Christ and He came that we might have life.          

September 18, 2014

Reflection: His Mercy endures forever...

How great is God's mercy!  In the Gospel, we see the sinful woman come up behind Jesus at His feet weeping. She emptied herself out at His feet, seeking His mercy. 

A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.  Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that He was at table in the house of the Pharisee.  Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind Him at his feet weeping and began to bathe His feet with her tears.  Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.  Luke 7:36-38


My pastor, in his homily, described the alabaster jar of oil.  He said to open the jar, the top of the jar had to be broken off and the oil poured out.  The woman kissed the feet of Jesus, dried them with her hair and then anointed His head and feet with the oil.  Like the oil, she poured herself out and gave everything she had.  She knows she is a sinner, but she comes to Jesus in love seeking forgiveness.  My pastor invited us to ponder how the woman poured all the oil out upon Jesus and how she poured herself out to Jesus.  She made a gift of herself to Him.  He said to listen to the words during the Mass about the Blood being poured out for you.  


Imagine you are the woman.  Place yourself in the scene.  As you come to Jesus, you are trembling. You approach Jesus and touch His feet and He reaches down and touches your head.  You lift your eyes to look at Him and His Love enters your heart.  You are filled with His love and mercy. The fragrance of the oil fills the room. Jesus gazes at you with great love.  He tells you your sins are forgiven.  You are overcome with joy by this personal encounter with Jesus.  Then He says to you, Go in peace.        


Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.  Psalm 118:1


Then Jesus turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?  When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.  You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment.  So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”  He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”  The others at table said to themselves,  “Who is this who even forgives sins?”  But he said to the woman,  “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”  Luke 7:44-50


During Mass at the time of the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest calls down the Holy Spirit.  Through the prayers of the Consecration, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus. Our Lord becomes Present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.  


Here are the words of the priest praying over the wine:


In a similar way, taking the chalice, filled with the fruit of the vine, He gave thanks, and gave the chalice to His disciples saying, Take this all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of My Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.  Do this in memory of Me.


The oil is poured out; the sinful woman poured herself out; the Blood is poured out.  Let us ponder these words: 
"the chalice of My Blood poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins."


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


Today I saw the Crucified Lord Jesus.  Precious pearls and diamonds were pouring forth from the wound in His Heart.  I saw how a multitude of souls was gathering these gifts, but there was one soul who was closest to His Heart and she, knowing the greatness of these gifts, was gathering them with liberality, not only for herself, but for others as well.  The Savior said to me, Behold, the treasures of grace that flow down upon souls, but not all souls know how to take advantage of My generosity.  Dairy of Saint Faustina 1687


I have a beautiful small crucifix given to me by a friend.  It is unlike any crucifix I have ever seen. Standing by the side of the Cross is Mary holding a chalice to catch the precious Blood pouring out of the wound in His side.   


Stand beside Mary as she gathers the precious Blood into the chalice.  Pour out your heart to Jesus. From the wound in His Sacred Heart, He will pour out His love, grace and mercy upon you.  Gather these treasures for yourself and for others. 


Come to Jesus.  He is waiting for you.  He will receive you with open arms and He will pour out His love upon you.   O Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.  Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

September 15, 2014

Our Lady of Sorrows

Stabat Mater
At the Cross her station keeping stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.

The title of Our Lady of Sorrows focuses on Mary's intense suffering during the passion and death of Christ. The Seven Dolors, the title by which it was celebrated in the 17th century, referred to the seven swords that pierced the Heart of Mary. Today is the Feast Day, an octave after the birthday of Our Lady on September 8th. This feast is dedicated to the spiritual martyrdom of Mary, Mother of God, and her compassion with the sufferings of her Divine Son, Jesus. In her suffering as co-redeemer, she reminds us of the tremendous evil of sin and shows us the way of true repentance. May the numerous tears of the Mother of God be conducive to our salvation; with which tears, O God, are able to wash away the sins of the whole world. As Mary stood at the foot of the Cross on which Jesus hung, the sword of sorrow Simeon had foretold pierced her soul.

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

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us. Help us to be like you and offer our sufferings to Jesus. Let us stand at the foot of the Cross with you.

September 12, 2014

Most Holy Name of Mary

In accordance with Jewish custom our Lady's parents named her eight days after her birth, and were inspired to call her Mary. Today is the Feast Day of the Most Holy Name of Mary. On this day dedicated to the Most Holy Name of Mary, let us repeat that wonderful prayer of Saint Bernard to invite everyone to become a trusting child before Mary, even as the Son of God did. Saint Bernard says, and we say with him:

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

September 11, 2014

We remember 9/11 today and always...

O Mary, Queen of Peace, cover our nation with your protective mantle. 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.



We remember all the babies and children who lost loved ones thirteen years ago today and we entrust them to the care of Our Blessed Mother Mary.  O Mother Mary, you held your Beloved Son at the foot of the Cross.  Jesus, by Your Cross and Resurrection, You have redeemed the world and You turned the Cross from an instrument of terror into the tree of life. 

September 08, 2014

Reflection: The Birth of our Blessed Mother Mary



Today the Church celebrates the birth of Mary. September 8th is nine months after the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. It is through Mary, conceived without sin, that Jesus came into the world.  Saint Ann and Saint Joachim were infertile and prayed for a child.  They received the promise of a child who would be the salvation of the world.  They consecrated Mary to the Lord.

Saint Augustine connects Mary's birth with Jesus' saving work. He tells the earth to rejoice and shine forth in the light of her birth. "She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley. Through her birth the nature inherited from our first parents is changed."



This prayer ministry is entrusted and consecrated to Mary.  As we pray for so many needs, we know that Mary is with us and she brings our prayers to Jesus.  Every human birth is a call for new hope in the world, the love of two human beings joining with God in his creative work. Loving parents are hope in a world filled with troubles. A new child has the potential to be a channel of God's love and peace to the world. Mary shows us the way. Jesus is God's love and Mary is the foreshadowing of that love. Jesus brought salvation, Mary is the dawning of salvation.

Have you ever pondered the delight on the faces of little children at their birthday party?  They are so excited, they are ready to burst with joy. The joy we can see in little children is the same way God looks at you. He delights in you!  Birthday celebrations bring happiness to family and friends. Next to the birth of Jesus, Mary's birth offers the greatest possible happiness to the world. Today, as we celebrate her birth, may we always turn to her with our needs.  Let us pray for an increase of peace in our hearts, in our families and in the world.
 

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

Mary is our Mother and our intercessor; she is gentle and powerful.  I speak to Mary often during the day.  I especially feel close to her when I pray the rosary and meditate on the mysteries of her life and the life of Jesus.  Mary has helped me during times of suffering and trial.  I have seen her intercede in my life in so many ways. She will help you too. Turn to Mary and let her embrace you. Imagine you are a little child seated on her lap.  She holds you close and consoles you.  Feel the comfort of her loving embrace.  Speak to Mary.  Pour out your heart to her.  She will listen and she will take your needs and place them in a basket at the feet of Jesus. 

Let us be like little children at a birthday party and invite Mary into our hearts on this day of her birth.  Let us ask her to remain with us and to be our guide and our protector.  She gathers all her children and she will always lead us to her Beloved Son Jesus.  

Happy Birthday Blessed Mother Mary! You were created by God in grace. By your YES, your FIAT to God and your cooperation with the Holy Spirit, God became one in you, and you gave Jesus to us. Dear Mary, Mother of Jesus, thank you for trusting God and showing us how to respond to and cooperate with Him in our lives. Happy Birthday, Mary, our Mother!

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

September 05, 2014

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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

What was the secret of this powerful little woman? 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 lifeto do, to make, to be something beautiful for God.

Today is the anniversary of her death.  At the age of eighteen, moved by a desire to become a missionary, Gonxha Agnes left her home in 1928 to join the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Sisters of Loreto, in Ireland. There she received the name Sister Mary Teresa after St. Thérèse of Lisieux. In December, she departed for India, arriving in Calcutta in January 1929. After making her First Profession of Vows in May 1931, Sister Teresa was assigned to the Loreto Entally community in Calcutta and taught at Saint Mary’s School for girls. Sister Teresa made her Final Profession of Vows in 1937, becoming, Mother Teresa, the “spouse of Jesus” for “all eternity.”

A person of profound prayer and deep love for her religious sisters and her students, Mother Teresa’s twenty years in Loreto were filled with profound happiness. Noted for her charity, unselfishness and courage, her capacity for hard work and a natural talent for organization, she lived out her consecration to Jesus, in the midst of her companions, with fidelity and joy.

In September 1946 during the train ride from Calcutta to Darjeeling for her annual retreat, Mother Teresa received her “inspiration,” her “call within a call.” On that day, in a way she would never explain, Jesus’ thirst for love and for souls took hold of her heart and the desire to satiate His thirst became the driving force of her life. Over the course of the next weeks and months, by means of interior locutions and visions, Jesus revealed to her the desire of His heart for “victims of love” who would “radiate His love on souls.”

“Come be My light,” He begged her. “I cannot go alone.” He revealed His pain at the neglect of the poor, His sorrow at their ignorance of Him and His longing for their love. He asked Mother Teresa to establish a religious community, Missionaries of Charity, dedicated to the service of the poorest of the poor. Nearly two years of testing and discernment passed before Mother Teresa received permission to begin. In August 1948, she dressed for the first time in a white, blue-bordered sari and passed through the gates of her beloved Loreto convent to enter the world of the poor.

She renounced everything for Jesus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She looked pro-choice politicians in the eye and told them that abortion was murder. She passed out prayer holy cards at the United Nations and got ambassadors praying in the UN general assembly room. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta exemplifies the uncompromising loyalty to Jesus.

The work was exhausting, but she was not alone for long. Volunteers who came to join her in the work, some of them former students, became the core of the Missionaries of Charity. Other helped by donating food, clothing, supplies, the use of buildings. In 1952 the city of Calcutta gave Mother Teresa a former hostel, which became a home for the dying and the destitute. As the Order expanded, services were also offered to orphans, abandoned children, alcoholics, the aging and street people.  Mother and her sisters would spend one hour every day praying in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament.  This was their daily family Holy Hour through which their community blossomed.

For the next four decades Mother Teresa worked tirelessly on behalf of the poor. Her love knew no bounds. Nor did her energy, as she crisscrossed the globe pleading for support and inviting others to see the face of Jesus in the poorest of the poor. In 1979 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. On September 5, 1997, God called her home.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the tiny woman recognized throughout the world for her work among the poorest of the poor, was beatified October 19, 2003.  Blessed Mother Teresa's beatification, just over six years after her death, was part of an expedited process put into effect by Saint Pope John Paul II. Like so many others around the world, he found her love for the Eucharist, for prayer and for the poor a model for all to emulate.

Speaking in a strained, weary voice at the beatification Mass, Pope John Paul II declared her blessed, prompting waves of applause before the 300,000 pilgrims in St. Peter's Square. In his homily, read by an aide for the aging pope, the Holy Father called Mother Teresa “one of the most relevant personalities of our age” and “an icon of the Good Samaritan.” Her life, he said, was “a bold proclamation of the Gospel.”

My pastor knew Mother Teresa and he was blessed to meet with her privately. Her words to him,

"Be only all for Jesus through Mary."

When she died, Mother Teresa owned nothing but her rosary beads and her distinctive white-and-blue sari. She did so much to serve so many others and had such a great influence on the world. She took a vow of poverty and became wealthy in the ways that really matter. She abandoned the world. Her life is a confirmation of the Gospel promise, The meek inherit the earth.

Blessed Mother Teresa, pray for us and all those for whom we pray through this ministry.

September 02, 2014

A Child's Prayer

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



At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:1-4

Jesus said, come as you are, come before God with all of your problems and worries. Come messy, come with stumbling words. It does not matter if you get prayer right, what matters is that you come before God without any pretense 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. Imagine what these grown men must have thought when Jesus told them that they needed to become like little children. The disciples seemed to have struggled with this teaching of Jesus as we see many instances of Jesus telling them this over and over again throughout the Gospels.  Jesus then 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.

Heavenly Father, we ask You to bless all the babies and little ones and the families for whom we pray. We thank You for the gifts of Your Son Jesus, for the Holy Spirit and for Our Blessed Mother Mary.