St. Bridget 12 Year Prayer - The Seven Wounds of Jesus- A Prayer Request

My dad has a great devotion to this beautiful novena that was given to St. Bridget of Sweden on the Passion and Death of Jesus.

A few days before Christmas, dad began some internal bleeding, resulting from both a reaction to his medication and his advanced prostate and bone cancer. As we sat in the emergency room with him, waiting for admission to the hospital where he would remain until his bleeding was under control, he looked up at my mother, squeezed her hand,  and asked her to make sure that she went home to get him his pamphlet that contained this special novena; he prays it daily.

Dad is home now and and resting as comfortably as possible.  He has tried to promote this novena to the people he comes in contact with. Seeing just how firmly he believes in the power of this novena, I have started to pray it too.

If you do take the time to watch this, will you please offer it up for  my dad ; his name is Don. God be with you all...Daily Grace

Medjugorge Magazine- St. Bridget

Divine Babe

"Let us put our hands in those of the Divine Babe. Let us say our Yes to his invitation "follow me" and we will be His. The way will be clear for His divine life to become incarnate in us. This is precisely the light that comes through the darkness, a light kindled in the soul the miracle of Christmas."  St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, O.C.D (Edith Stein)

The first Christmas was certainly surrounded by wonder. 1

Zacharias wondered how he and his elderly wife could give birth to the forerunner of the Messiah. (Luke 1:18)

Mary wondered how it would be possible for a virgin to give birth to a baby. (Luke 1:34)

Joseph wondered why he and Mary had been chosen by God to be the parents of the Messiah. (Matthew 1:18-25)

The shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem wondered about the angels that appeared in the sky, and what their message meant. (Luke 2 13-15)

Those in Bethlehem wondered about the story that the shepherds were spreading throughout the village. (Luke 2:17-18)

Mary wondered about everything that was happening at the birth of her baby. (Luke 2:19)

May the wonder of  of the Divine Babe, love incarnate, be your joy this Christmas Day and may you share His joy with all you meet.

 "Dear children, here is my Son in my arms! I would like to ask you to be a light for all in the year to come. I would like to call you again to live my messages- the messages of peace, conversion, prayer, penance, and faith.

Dear children , your Mother does not seek words from you- I ask for deeds. Your Mother will help you and she will give you the strength to preserve. And tonight I would like to tell you: Rejoice! BVM, Medjugorje, 12/25/1989

1 The 12 Ways of Christmas, David Jeremiah

Without God We Are Incomplete

 Fr. Barron make a great analogy in this short clip that, no matter what our successes or accomplishments might be, nothing on earth can satisfy us because we are wired for God. Without God we are incomplete!

Mary Immaculate And America

 

My children, it is only because many years ago you consecrated your country to Me that you have not received the destruction that is gradually coming closer to you from the outside world. But if you turn from Me now I no longer will be able to shield you."

 ~Our Lady, July 1, 1971

The above quote is from a private revelation (not sure to whom) and while we do not need to believe in private revelations, these words seem to ring very true for us today.

 In 1846,the first Council of Baltimore formally declared the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived without sin, the patroness of the United States. This formal declaration came eight years before Pope Pius IX declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

We in this country need to turn to Mary. As patroness of this country she is also a protector. This country comes closer every day to the destruction referred to in the quote. 

Our Lady's sole desire is to bring us closer to her Son. If we turn to her, she will surely do this, not just individually but as a nation.

We pray to our patron saints for guidance and protection in our lives. Let us pray, as one nation under God, to Our Lady under the title of the Immaculate Conception for guidance and protection. She will lead us to Jesus who is our ultimate Savior and Protector.

Prayer Entrusting the United States to Mary Immaculate

Most Holy Trinity, we put the United States of America into the hands of Mary Immaculate in order that she may present the country to you. Through her we wish to thank you for the great resources of this land and for the freedom which has been its heritage. Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy on the Catholic Church in America. Grant us peace. Have mercy on our President and on all the officers of our government. Grant us a fruitful economy, born of justice and charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor. Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the precious gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession of our Mother, have mercy on the sick, the tempted, sinners—on all who are in need.

Mary, Immaculate Virgin, our Mother, patroness of our land, we praise you and honor you and give ourselves to you. Protect us from every harm. Pray for us, that acting always according to your will and the will of your divine Son, we may live and die pleasing to God.
Amen.

(Excerpt from a prayer attributed to Archbishop John Carroll, first bishop of the United States)

Thank you Karinann, Daughter of the King, for sharing this beautiful blog today.

Take Time, Slow Down, Be Still

"Take time to be aware that in the very midst of our busy preparations for the celebration of Christ’s birth in ancient Bethlehem, Christ is reborn in the Bethlehems of our homes and daily lives. Take time, slow down, be still, be awake to the Divine Mystery that looks so common and so ordinary yet is wondrously present. Edward Hays, A Pilgrim’s Almanac, p. 196

 We love to walk together in the evening. It’s a nice way to unburden our minds, to be together and talk about our day before we settle in for the night. Sometimes our conversations are light and cheerful; sometimes they are more on the serious side, depending on what the day has brought us.

Lately, I have been bringing my Rosary bracelet on these walks and after we talk for a while I ask him, “Would you like to say the rosary with me”. He smiles and says, “of course”.

By the time we get home, no matter what the day has given us, we feel strengthened in mind and spirit.

Jesus, the great comforter, is always inviting us to give it all to him, to surrender every fear, every worry, every concern.

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

  

"Dear children; Today I am praying here with you that you may gather the strength to open your hearts and thus to become aware of the mighty love of the suffering God. Through this His love, goodness and meekness, I am also with you. I invite you for this special time of preparation to be a time of prayer, penance and conversion. My children, you need God. You cannot go forward without my Son. When you comprehend and accept this, what was promised to you will be realized. Through the Holy Spirit the Kingdom of Heaven will be born in your hearts. I am leading you to this. Thank you." December 02 2010 Message to Mirjana

Only honest eyes can see the way........

He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”Jeremiah 17:8

"Dear children, As a mother I am with you so that with my love, prayer and example I may help you to become a seed of the future, a seed that will grow into a firm tree and spread it's branches throughout the world. For you to become a seed of the future, a seed of love, implore the Father to forgive you your omissions up to now. My children, only a pure heart, unburdened by sin, can open itself and only honest eyes can see the way by which I desire to lead you. When you become aware of this, you will become aware of the love of God - it will be given (as a gift) to you. Then you will give it (as a gift) to others as a seed of love. Thank you."BVM, Medjugorje, Message of December 02, 2011

A loving mother never stops caring for her child no matter how old that child is. She brings that child before the Lord and lovingly places her[him] into his hands.In constant prayer she pleas for her[him]. She never gives up hope.

Advent is a time of hope, of spiritual awakening, a time to prepare our souls for Immanuel.. Our Lady is asking us to open our eyes, to recognize the things that keep us from coming ever closer to her son. Will we be ready to receive the precious gift which the Lord wants to share with us.Will we be able to say with pure hearts, "come let us adore him"........

Mother Mary, thank you for always interceding for me.

Her Amazement at Her Only Child

Light piercing, gradually, everyday events;                
a woman's eyes, hands
used to them since childhood.
Then brightness flared, too huge for simple days,
and hands clasped when the words lost their space.

In that little town, my son, where they knew us together,
you called me mother; but no one had eyes to see
the astounding events as they took place day by day.
Your life became the life of the poor
in your wish to be with them through the work of your hands.
I knew: the light that lingered in ordinary things,
like a spark sheltered under the skin of our days -
the light was you;
it did not come from me.

And I had more of you in that luminous silence
than I had of you as the fruit of my body,  my blood.

Karol Wojtyla
(Pope John Paul II)