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Take refuge in Mary with this prayer — none of this sorrow is new to her

raphael

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June 27, 2020

Take refuge in Mary with this prayer — none of this sorrow is new to her

The headlines are plain overwhelming. The Church’s oldest prayer to Our Lady is solace.

Beneath your compassion, we take refuge,

O Virgin Theotokos.

Despise not our prayers and our needs,

but deliver us from danger,

for you alone are pure and blessed …

We sing this ancient hymn based on the oldest Marian prayer, the Sub tuum praesidium, just about every Sunday in my small Byzantine parish. When we do, my eyes always rest on an icon of Our Blessed Mother covering a child with her robe. Lately, I feel so thankful to be that child.

I’m not alone here, hiding behind my mother’s skirts. Brothers and Sisters in Christ from throughout the centuries surround me, and they’re a comfort too. I reflect on their lives when I visit my local cemetery to sit beneath a statue of Mary. It’s a shady spot, with sunlight filtering in through the leaves. A Vietnam veteran’s headstone is near Mary’s feet, along with that of a priest who was a chaplain in both World Wars.

“Relax,” they seem to say, speaking to me from outside of time with keen perspective. “Remember how Jesus said, ‘In this world you will have many troubles’ (John 16:33) – just like we did! Why are you so surprised?”

These eternal lives speak to me as I sit there, weepy about the headlines, pulling out handfuls of grass. But Mary comforts me most of all. I look to her, remembering Jesus’ words from the cross: “Behold thy Mother.” (John 19:27)

And it’s like she’s holding me in her arms. Yes, Jesus is my savior, but when I’m hurting, I need to hide beneath my Mother’s robe. So I’m ever grateful, especially lately, that Jesus shares his mom with me.

I brought the concept of taking refuge in Mary to my confessor, and he pointed out that the Old Testament Hebrew word for God’s mercy is rachamim, which comes from the word rechem, which means uterus or womb. Hence, God’s merciful love for us is motherly. And in his generosity, God has provided for us a human female person who, although not God, carries in herself the rachamim of God to all mankind.

Due to these strange times, my tiny church has been closed for the first time in 150 years. But fortunately, I have a copy of that small icon of Our Lady and the hiding child emblazoned in my mind’s eye. Also, I found the hymn on YouTube. Perhaps you’d like to sing along.

PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (SATURDAY, JUNE 27)

raphael

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June 27, 2020

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PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (SATURDAY, JUNE 27)

Saint Cyril of Alexandria; Blessed Virgin Mary

Prayer for the Morning

With the Holy Name of Mary always on our lips,

we put our trust in you, O Lord!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia!

HYMN

(Meter: 87 87

This hymn can be sung to the tune used for

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus)

Daily, daily sing to Mary,

Sing, my soul, her praises due:

All her feasts, her actions honor

With the heart’s devotion true.

Lost in wondering contemplation,

Be her majesty confessed:

Call her Mother, call her Virgin,

Happy Mother, Virgin blest.

She is mighty in her pleading,

Tender in her loving care;

Ever watchful, understanding,

All our sorrows she will share.

Advocate and loving mother,

Mediatrix of all grace:

Heaven’s blessings she dispenses

On our sinful human race.

All our graces flow through Mary;

All then join her praise to sing:

Fairest work of all creation,

Mother of creation’s King.

Sing in songs of peace unending,

Call upon her lovingly:

Seat of wisdom, Gate of heaven,

Morning star upon the sea.

PSALM 71:14-17, 22-24a

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. (cf. Lk 1:28)

The Holy Name of Mary is powerful. The tradition of the Church and the teaching of the Magisterium urge us to frequent recitation of the Hail Mary and the rosary. By keeping the name of Mary on our lips, we show our devotion to her. Mary’s mantle is always present to protect those who are her own. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the jewel of God’s creation, the holiest woman ever to live. When we repeat her name, we greatly honor God her Creator. Mary never keeps any glory for herself. Her soul magnifies the Lord (cf. Lk 1:46).

As for me, I will always hope

and praise you more and more.

My lips will tell of your justice

and day by day of your help

though I can never tell it all.

I will declare the Lord’s mighty deeds

proclaiming your justice, yours alone.

O God, you have taught me from my youth

and I proclaim your wonders still.

So I will give you thanks on the lyre

for your faithful love, my God.

To you will I sing with the harp,

to you, the Holy One of Israel.

When I sing to you my lips shall rejoice

and my soul, which you have redeemed.

And all the day long my tongue

shall tell the tale of your justice.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Luke 1:30b-33)

Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners now

and at the hour of our death.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Your name spoken is a spreading perfume. (Sg 1:3)

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet

of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father…

INTERCESSIONS

We bring all our cares and place them before our heavenly Father, saying:

R/Hear us and answer our prayer.

That, when we are tempted to vainglory,

– we may gain the Blessed Virgin Mary’s humility. R/

That, when our efforts seem fruitless,

– we may remember to call upon the names of Jesus and Mary for strength. R/

That, when we feel lonely or discouraged,

– the name of Mary may give us comfort and encouragement. R/

That our relationship to the Mother of God

– may bring us ever closer to her Son, Jesus. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

Almighty Father, you greatly bless the names of those who do your will. Keep us close to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose name is blessed among all generations. May we, by calling on her name, gain some share of her blessing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

AND TODAY WE CELEBRATE… The Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help (SATURDAY, JUNE 27)

raphael

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June 27, 2020

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AND TODAY WE CELEBRATE… The Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help (SATURDAY, JUNE 27)

Saint of the Day: The Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help

“The Mother of God is the Christian’s model in faith”

The story behind the celebration

+ The picture of “Our Lady of Perpetual Succour” is a Byantine icon written in the thirteenth century and housed in the Roman Church of Saint Alphonsus.

+ The image depicts the Mother of God holding the Divine Child while the archangels Michael and Gabriel show him the instruments of the Passion.

+ Once entrusted to the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine, the image and its devotion were entrusted to the Redemptorists by Blessed Pope Pius IX.

+ The image and the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help invite Christians to remember Mary’s maternal and protecting love and her unfailing intercession on behalf of those in need.

Spiritual bonus

On this day, the Church also celebrates the memory of the Bishop and Doctor of the Church Saint Cyril of Alexandria. A participant in the Council of Ephesus, he fought to defend the Church’s teachings of the two natures of Christ.

For reflection

“As the Council teaches, the Mother of God is the Christian’s model in faith, love and perfect union with Christ; and in a special way she is the Mother and model of those who live the consecrated life.”—Pope Saint John Paul II

Vocations

The Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help: www.franciscans-olph.org

Prayer

O Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke thy most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying. O Purest Mary, O Sweetest Mary, let thy name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on thee, for, in all my needs, in all my temptations I shall never cease to call on thee, ever repeating thy sacred name, Mary, Mary.

O what consolation, what sweetness, what confidence, what emotion fill my soul when I pronounce thy sacred name, or even only think of thee. I thank God for having given thee, for my good, so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely pronouncing thy name: let my love for thee prompt me ever to hail thee, Mother of Perpetual Help. Amen.

(Tradition prayer in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help)

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.

A prayer to ask God for light and clarity

raphael

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June 27, 2020

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A prayer to ask God for light and clarity

Merciful Lord,

we ask you to cast your bright beams of light upon your Church,

that, it being enlightened by the doctrine of your blessed apostle and evangelist Saint John,

may so walk in the light of your truth,

that it may at length attain to the light of everlasting life,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (FRIDAY, JUNE 26)

raphael

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June 27, 2020

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PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (FRIDAY, JUNE 26)

Prayer for the Evening

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,

died, and was buried. Come, let us adore.

Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!

HYMN

O God of earth and altar,

Bow down and hear our cry,

Our earthly rulers falter,

Our people drift and die;

The walls of gold entomb us,

The swords of scorn divide,

Take not thy thunder from us,

But take away our pride.

From all that terror teaches,

From lies of tongue and pen,

From all the easy speeches

That comfort cruel men,

From sale and profanation

Of honor, and the sword,

From sleep and from damnation,

Deliver us, good Lord!

Tie in a living tether

The prince and priest and thrall,

Bind all our lives together,

Smite us and save us all;

In ire and exultation

Aflame with faith, and free,

Lift up a living nation,

A single sword to thee.

PSALM 12:2-3, 6-9

Terror on every side! (Jer 20:10)

Blindness of judgment is one of the effects of sin. Are we among those who prize worthless things and lying people rather than the cross of the righteous Christ? He continues to call upon the Father’s help, not for his own deliverance but for ours.

Help, O Lord, for good men have vanished:

truth has gone from the sons of men.

Falsehood they speak one to another,

with lying lips, with a false heart.

“For the poor who are oppressed and the needy

who groan

I myself will arise,” says the Lord.

“I will grant them the salvation for which they thirst.”

The words of the Lord are words without alloy,

silver from the furnace, seven times refined.

It is you, O Lord, who will take us in your care

and protect us for ever from this generation.

See how the wicked prowl on every side,

while the worthless are prized highly by the sons

of men.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Sirach 51:7-10)

I turned every way, but there was no one to help me,/ I looked for one to sustain me, but could find no one./ But then I remembered the mercies of the Lord,/ his kindness through ages past;/ For he saves those who take refuge in him,/ and rescues them from every evil./ So I raised my voice from the very earth,/ from the gates of the nether world, my cry./ I called out: O Lord, you are my father,/ you are my champion and my savior;/ Do not abandon me in time of trouble,/ in the midst of storms and dangers.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul./ I trust you,
let me not be disappointed. (Ps 25:1-2)

CANTICLE OF MARY

Many good deeds have I shown you from the Father. For which of these do you stone me? (cf. Jn 10:32)

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father…

INTERCESSIONS

Suffering takes many forms and, in all of them, the suffering of Christ offers redemption. For all sufferers, we pray:

R/Deliver your people, O Lord.

For those who live in fear under the menace of political brutality: R/

For those who are deprived of the Gospel’s comfort by an atheistic or agnostic environment: R/

For those who chase uselessly after length of days because they see no hope of life beyond the grave: R/

Personal intentions

Our Father….

Grace, mercy, and peace be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son in truth and love. Amen. (cf. 2 Jn 3)

Marian Antiphon

Mary is the immaculate lily,

who brought forth Christ the imperishable rose.

O holy Mother of God,

immaculate sheep,

who gave birth to Christ the Lamb,

the Word incarnate from you;

O most holy Virgin,

who have astonished the hosts of angels;

stupendous is the miracle in heaven:

a woman clothed with the sun

carrying in her arms the Light.

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;

vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra,

illos tuos misericordes oculos

ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,

our life, our sweetness, and our hope.

To you do we cry,

poor banished children of Eve.

To you do we send up our sighs,

mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, O most gracious advocate,

your eyes of mercy toward us,

and after this our exile

show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Saint of the Day for FRIDAY, JUNE 26: Bl. Volodymyr Ivanovych Pryima (Martyred Husband and Father)

raphael

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June 26, 2020

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Saint of the Day for FRIDAY, JUNE 26: Bl. Volodymyr Ivanovych Pryima (Martyred Husband and Father)

Martyr (1906-1941)

His life

+ Volodymyr was born in Stradch, Ukraine.

+ A member of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, he was a husband and father who served as cantor and choir director for the parish church in Stradch.

+ He was captured by Communist agents as he was returning from a sick call with his parish priest, Father Mykola Konrad.

+ Volodymyr and Father Mykola were tortured and murdered in the forest outside of Stradch on June 26, 1941. They were beatified with other martyrs of the Communist era in 2001.

For prayer and reflection

“In Baptism, every Christian is called to holiness. Unlike the newly beatified martyrs, not all are called to undergo the supreme trial of shedding their blood. But everyone is entrusted with the task of following Christ with daily and faithful generosity.”—Pope Saint John Paul II at the beatification of Blessed Volodymyr and the Martyrs of Ukraine

Prayer

Almighty and merciful God, who brought your Martyr blessed Volodymyr to overcome the torments of his passion, grant that we, who celebrate the day of his triumph, may remain invincible under your protection against the snares of the enemy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

(from The Roman Missal: Common of Holy Men and Women—For One Martyr)

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.

PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (FRIDAY, JUNE 26)

raphael

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June 26, 2020

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PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (FRIDAY, JUNE 26)

Prayer for the Morning

Gracious and merciful is the Lord:

let us turn to him with confidence!

Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!

HYMN

See how the army of our sins,

A cruel army, proud and fierce,

The heart of God most innocent

Ungratefully and basely pierce!

Our sins direct the cruel stroke

Made by the thrust of soldier’s lance;

The dreaded sharpness of its point

Our crimes with mortal guilt enhance.

From out that opened Heart is born

The Holy Church, of Christ the bride;

Behold the ark to save our race;

The door, this wound made in his side.

Hence comes an everlasting stream

Of grace in wondrous sevenfold flood,

That we may there our robes defiled

Cleanse in the Lamb’s most precious Blood.

PSALM 32:1-7

He who trusts in the Lord,/ loving mercy surrounds him. (Ps 32:10)

How often do we rediscover the Psalmist’s insight: hidden guilt festers; honest admission of guilt heals!

Happy the man whose offense is forgiven,

whose sin is remitted.

O happy the man to whom the Lord

imputes no guilt,

in whose spirit is no guile.

I kept it secret and my frame was wasted.

I groaned all the day long

for night and day your hand

was heavy upon me.

Indeed, my strength was dried up

as by the summer’s heat.

But now I have acknowledged my sins;

my guilt I did not hide.

I said: “I will confess

my offense to the Lord.”

And you, Lord, have forgiven

the guilt of my sin.

So let every good man pray to you

in the time of need.

The floods of water may reach high

but him they shall not reach.

You are my hiding place, O Lord;

you save me from distress.

You surround me with cries of deliverance.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Ezekiel 33:14-16)

Though I say to the wicked man that he shall surely die, if he turns away from his sin and does what is right and just, giving back pledges, restoring stolen goods, living by the statutes that bring life, and doing no wrong, he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of the sins he committed shall be held against him; he has done what is right and just, he shall surely live.

The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel. (Mk 1:15)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked? says the Lord God. Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live? (Ez 18:23)

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;

he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,

born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old

that he would save us from our enemies,

from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

free to worship him without fear,

holy and righteous in his sight

all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet

of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God

the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

to shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death,

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father…

INTERCESSIONS

With joyful trust, let us own our sins before the Lord, who gladly forgives:

R/O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

For words and deeds of impatience and anger:

– pardon us, O Lord! R/

For words and deeds of selfish grasping:

– pardon us, O Lord! R/

For words and deeds of unkindness:

– pardon us, O Lord! R/

For those sins of which we are most ashamed:

– pardon us, O Lord! R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

O God of mercy and compassion, all our guilt lies open to you, all our secret sins are known to you, all our ugly ways are clear before you, yet you never cease to offer us your redeeming love. Have mercy on us in our pitiful attempts to cloak our sinfulness with false bravado, and grant us the joy that comes with full repentance, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (THURSDAY, JUNE 25)

raphael

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June 25, 2020

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PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (THURSDAY, JUNE 25)

Prayer for the Evening

God’s ways are faithfulness and love:

let us give thanks and praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia!

HYMN

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,

Your hands swift to welcome,

your arms to embrace,

Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,

Your love in our hearts, Lord,

at the eve of the day.

Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,

Whose voice is contentment,

whose presence is balm,

Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,

Your peace in our hearts, Lord,

at the end of the day.

PSALM 25:8-18, 22

Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep your covenant of kindness with your servants who are faithful to you with their whole heart. (1 Kgs 8:23)

As evening falls, let us give thanks and praise for the faithful love and guidance he has given us today, and let us ask for forgiveness where we have failed to follow in his ways.

The Lord is good and upright.

He shows the path to those who stray,

he guides the humble in the right path;

he teaches his way to the poor.

His ways are faithfulness and love

for those who keep his covenant and law.

Lord, for the sake of your name

forgive my guilt; for it is great.

If anyone fears the Lord

he will show him the path he should choose.

His soul shall live in happiness

and his children shall possess the land.

The Lord’s friendship is for those who revere him;

to them he reveals his covenant.

My eyes are always on the Lord;

for he rescues my feet from the snare.

Turn to me and have mercy

for I am lonely and poor.

Relieve the anguish of my heart

and set me free from my distress.

See my affliction and my toil

and take all my sins away.

Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Zechariah 8:7-8)

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Lo, I will rescue my people from the land of the rising sun, and from the land of the setting sun. I will bring them back to dwell within Jerusalem. They shall be my people, and I will be their God, with faithfulness and justice.

He will guard the footsteps of his faithful ones!
(cf. 1 Sm 2:9)

CANTICLE OF MARY

A faithful God, without deceit,/ how just and upright he is! (Dt 32:4)

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father…

INTERCESSIONS

The Lord is good and upright. To him we make our evening prayer:

R/Guide us in the right path.

Your ways are faithfulness and love:

– keep those who bear your name faithful and loving in all their commitments. R/

Your friendship is for those who revere you:

– fill all your people with a deep reverence for your presence in our midst in Word and Sacrament. R/

You rescue your people from the snares of sin and death:

– send compassionate helpers to those who are lonely and poor. R/

You relieve the anguish of those who suffer:

– set free from distress all those who are afflicted. R/

Personal intentions

Our Father….

May the Lord of peace himself give us peace at all times and in every way. Amen. (cf. 2 Thes 3:16)

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Mary is the immaculate lily,

who brought forth Christ the imperishable rose.

O holy Mother of God,

immaculate sheep,

who gave birth to Christ the Lamb,

the Word incarnate from you;

O most holy Virgin,

who have astonished the hosts of angels;

stupendous is the miracle in heaven:

a woman clothed with the sun

carrying in her arms the Light.

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;

vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra,

illos tuos misericordes oculos

ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,

our life, our sweetness, and our hope.

To you do we cry,

poor banished children of Eve.

To you do we send up our sighs,

mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, O most gracious advocate,

your eyes of mercy toward us,

and after this our exile

show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

A prayer to the Holy Family of Nazareth to bring love to your own family

raphael

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June 25, 2020

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A prayer to the Holy Family of Nazareth to bring love to your own family

Heavenly Father, we ask You to bless our family.

Open our hearts to receive Your love. May our home be another Nazareth,

so that our family may be a place where Your peace and love abides.

Open our eyes to recognize the gift and beauty of life,

so that we may find joy in Your presence among us.

Grant us pure hearts seeking holiness, generous hearts full of Your love,

merciful hearts ready to forgive and tender hearts full of kindness.

May our family be a sanctuary of life and love,

a beacon of hope

drawing others to your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for us.

Ask God to protect your family with this prayer

raphael

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June 25, 2020

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Ask God to protect your family with this prayer

God is ready to extend his hand of protection over you and your loved ones.

The world can be a dangerous place, both physically and spiritually. As St. Paul wrote, “Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).Yet, with God as our shield and protector, we should have nothing to fear. He is the ruler of this world, not Satan or anyone else. When we put our trust in God, he will protect us and guide us to everlasting life.

Here is a brief prayer from the Golden Manual that asks God to defend and protect your family.

O Lord, we ask you to defend our family from all adversity, through the intercession of the blessed Mary, ever Virgin; and mercifully protect us, now before you with our whole hearts, from all the snares of our enemies and from every affliction. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Articles

Prayers

Exhortations

Saints and More

Recent Comments

Articles

Prayers

Exhortations

Saints and More

The headlines are plain overwhelming. The Church’s oldest prayer to Our Lady is solace.

Prayer for the Morning

HYMN

PSALM 71:14-17, 22-24a

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. (cf. Lk 1:28)

Word of God (Luke 1:30b-33)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Your name spoken is a spreading perfume. (Sg 1:3)

INTERCESSIONS

(Personal intentions)

Saint of the Day: The Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help

The story behind the celebration

Prayer

Prayer for the Evening

HYMN

PSALM 12:2-3, 6-9

Word of God (Sirach 51:7-10)

CANTICLE OF MARY

INTERCESSIONS

Marian Antiphon

Martyr (1906-1941)

His life

For prayer and reflection

Prayer

Prayer for the Morning

HYMN

PSALM 32:1-7

He who trusts in the Lord,/ loving mercy surrounds him. (Ps 32:10)

How often do we rediscover the Psalmist’s insight: hidden guilt ­festers; honest admission of guilt heals!

Word of God (Ezekiel 33:14-16)

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked? says the Lord God. Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way that he may live? (Ez 18:23)

INTERCESSIONS

(Personal intentions)

Prayer for the Evening

HYMN

PSALM 25:8-18, 22

Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep your covenant of kindness with your servants who are faithful to you with their whole heart. (1 Kgs 8:23)

As evening falls, let us give thanks and praise for the faithful love and guidance he has given us today, and let us ask for forgiveness where we have failed to follow in his ways.

Word of God (Zechariah 8:7-8)

CANTICLE OF MARY

A faithful God, without deceit,/ how just and upright he is! (Dt 32:4)

INTERCESSIONS

MARIAN ANTIPHON

God is ready to extend his hand of protection over you and your loved ones.

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How often do we rediscover the Psalmist’s insight: hidden guilt festers; honest admission of guilt heals!