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4 Things You Need To Know About ‘Offering A Mass’ For A Loved One

gabriel

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November 6, 2022

4 Things You Need To Know About ‘Offering A Mass’ For A Loved One

“In the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, the Church prays that God, the Father of mercies, will grant His children the fullness of the Holy Spirit so that they may become one body and one spirit in Christ. In raising this prayer to the Father of lights, from whom comes every good endowment and every perfect gift, the Church believes that she will be heard, for she prays in union with Christ her Head and Spouse, who takes up this plea of His Bride and joins it to His own redemptive sacrifice”
Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Pope John Paul II, (No. 43)

It is a very old Catholic tradition to offer masses for specific intentions. The earliest record is about 180 AD shows evidence of early Christians having a Mass said for a loved one, yet this is a very misunderstood practice.

4 Things You Need To Know About ‘Offering A Mass’ For A Loved One

1. There is no cost, but you can make an offering:

There are no price tags of Masses, no one can afford a single Mass anyway. It is however customary and encouraged to make an offering when requesting for a Mass. If you cannot make any donations, talk to your priest, you can ask for the Mass to be said anyway or you can make a donation later.

2. Masses can be said for the living and the dead:

Most people usually think of the Mass as something you offer for those who have died but they can also be offered for the living. The Council of Trent says:

And inasmuch as in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the mass is contained and immolated in an unbloody manner the same Christ who once offered Himself in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross, the holy council teaches that this is truly propitiatory and has this effect, that if we, contrite and penitent, with sincere heart and upright faith, with fear and reverence, draw nigh to God, we obtain mercy and find grace in seasonable aid.>[10] For, appeased by this sacrifice, the Lord grants the grace and gift of penitence and pardons even the gravest crimes and sins.

For the victim is one and the same, the same now offering by the ministry of priests who then offered Himself on the cross, the manner alone of offering being different. The fruits of that bloody sacrifice, it is well understood, are received most abundantly through this unbloody one, so far is the latter from derogating in any way from the former. Wherefore, according to the tradition of the Apostles,[11] it is rightly offered not only for the sins, punishments, satisfactions and other necessities of the faithful who are living, but also for those departed in Christ but not yet fully purified.
Twenty-Second Session of the Council of Trent. Chapter II.

3. Other intentions for the Mass:

The Mass can also be offered for a celebration or to show gratitude to God. Some people in some parts of the world do not know this is a Church practice. Can be birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

4. Saying a Mass is a source of many fruits and graces:

There have been so many fruits and graces that have physically manifested to many from the celebration of Mass. Healings, powerful conversion experiences, and so many spiritual graces too. Even Eucharistic Miracles too have happened in the middle of Masses as well to show that the Mass unlocks the whole power of Heaven since God himself comes to use in the Eucharistic Species.

The Mass is the highest form of worship in the Catholic Church. St John Paul II says:

“The Church believes that she will be heard, for she prays in union with Christ her Head and Spouse, who takes up this plea of His Bride and joins it to His own redemptive sacrifice.”

Above are the 4 Things You Need To Know About ‘Offering A Mass’ For A Loved One. Add yours in the comment.

Dispel the powers of darkness that may be in this room and protect me this night …

These 2 Short Powerful Prayers to banish evil from a house or room is a tool that can be incorporated in our everyday prayers. Sometimes, we fail to remember that there is existence of evil. As there there is high, there is low. As there is good, there is bad. As there is light, there is darkness. As there is God, there is devil, and devil brings forth evil. Prayer, is one of the tool we can use to repel any evil from the enemies.

2 Short Powerful Prayers to banish evil from a house or room

Lord, we [or I] beg you to visit this house [room] and banish from it all the deadly power of the enemy. May your holy angels dwell here to keep us in peace, and may your blessings be upon us always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, I ask you to send your angels to be with me in this place, and protect me from all assaults of the Evil One. Please forgive any wrong that has been perpetuated in this room, and grant those who offend you the grace of conversion. Dispel the powers of darkness that may be in this room and protect me this night, and those who will sleep here in the forthcoming nights. Jesus, I trust in You!

The first prayer is a beautiful and powerful prayer from Night Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours on special solemnities. It is worth noting that it can be said at any time of the day. It is preferably said at night before retiring to sleep imploring God’s divine protection to banish evil from a house or room.

The second prayer is written by Fr. Edward Looney, which he uses particularly when he is staying in a hotel during his travels. It can be said by anyone especially if you are afraid of an evil presence in any room or building you are in.

Prayer for the Morning

Come, let us praise the Lord our God,
as we recall Saint Charles!

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: 10 10 10 10. This hymn can be sung to the tune used for
Abide with Me

God’s perfect law revives the human soul,
His faithful precepts make the simple wise;
His firm decrees bring joy to troubled hearts,
His clear commands give light to darkened eyes.

To be desired far more than treasured gold;
More sweet than honey are the words of God:
And by their truth am I, your servant, warned;
To keep them is to find a great reward.

So keep me free from every open sin;
Against all secret failings be my guard:
My words and thoughts be such as make you glad,
My Rock, my strong Redeemer, and my Lord.

Psalm 15

The righteous must still do right, and the holy still be holy. (Rv 22:11)

As both a civil and a canon lawyer, as well as a bishop, Saint Charles understood the pastoral work of law-giving according to the model of Christ. His unflagging efforts to promote Christian life and Church reform were prompted by a profoundly self-sacrificing love of Christ living in the Church.

Lord, who shall be admitted to your tent
and dwell on your holy mountain?

He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart;
he who does not slander with his tongue;

he who does no wrong to his brother,
who casts no slur on his neighbor,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honors those who fear the Lord;

he who keeps his pledge, come what may;
who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
Such a man will stand firm for ever.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God. Deuteronomy 4:5-8

Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees as the Lord, my God, has commanded me, that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy. Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, “This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.” For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the Lord, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today?

Zeal for your house consumed him.
(cf. Ps 69:10)

Canticle of Zechariah

Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. (Rom 12:11)

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

Through the intercession of Saint Charles, let us pray for the Church to which he devoted his life:

R/Renew us in your love!

For all pastors and Church administrators:
– grant them the gifts of discernment and charity in all their decisions. R/

For all canon lawyers:
– grant them the wisdom to put the law at the service of true Christian life. R/

For all parishes:
– grant them a fervent life of prayer and good works for the sake of your kingdom. R/

Personal intentions

Our Father….

O God of justice and of mercy, you guided Saint Charles Borromeo in promoting the full life of the Church in times of uncertainty and controversy. Through his intercession, continue to renew the Church today to seek the peace of your kingdom for all people, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the Morning

Arise, bless the Lord, your God,/
from eternity to eternity! (Neh 9:5)

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: LM

This hymn can be sung to the tune used for
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow

Lo! golden light rekindles day:
Let paling darkness steal away,
Which all too long o’erwhelmed our gaze
And led our steps by winding ways.

We pray thee, rising Light serene,
E’en as thyself our hearts make clean;
Let no deceit our lips defile,
Nor let our souls be vexed by guile.

O keep us, as the hours proceed,
From lying word and evil deed;
Our roving eyes from sin set free,
Our body from impurity.

For thou dost from above survey
The converse of each fleeting day;
Thou dost foresee from morning light
Our every deed, until the night.

All laud to God the Father be,
All praise, eternal Son, to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the holy Paraclete.

Canticle of Ezekiel 36:24-28

Blessed are the clean of heart,/ for they will see God. (Mt 5:8)

To be a disciple means to follow the Master. He ascended the hill of the cross and transformed it into the seat of glory, a holy place. Risen, he invites us to leave behind all worthless desires and seek him in holiness, that is, in love.

I will take you away from among the nations,
gather you from all the foreign lands,
and bring you back to your own land.

I will sprinkle clean water upon you
to cleanse you from all your impurities,
and from all your idols I will cleanse you.

I will give you a new heart
and place a new spirit within you,
taking from your bodies your stony hearts
and giving you natural hearts.

I will put my spirit within you
and make you live by my statutes,
careful to observe my decrees.

You shall live in the land I gave your fathers;
you shall be my people,
and I will be your God.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God. Exodus 15:11-13

Who is like to you among the gods, O Lord?/ Who is like to you, magnificent in holiness?/ O terrible in renown, worker of wonders,/ when you stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them!/ In your mercy you led the people you redeemed;/ in your strength you guided them to your holy dwelling.

I will sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously triumphant. (Ex 15:1)

Canticle of Zechariah

May the Lord, who is good, grant pardon to everyone who has resolved to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, though he be not clean as holiness requires. (2 Chr 30:18-19)

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…

As disciples of the risen Lord, we pray:

Intercessions

R/Lead the way, O Lord, our light!

For those appointed to tasks of leadership,
– that they may lead your people in the way of
holiness: R/

For those who lead the way with joy to the mountain of the Lord,
– that they may be richly blessed: R/

For those who have passed through the gates of death,
– that they may rejoice for all eternity: R/

Personal intentions

Our Father….

O God and giver of all good gifts, you cleanse us from stain of sin and make us pure of heart through your Son Jesus Christ. Lead us to dwell with you in holiness in our everyday lives through constant growth in love for you and for all whose lives we touch, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the Evening, November 2, 2022.

Let us exult and rejoice in the Lord
all the days of our life!

Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!

Hymn. Meter: CM

This hymn can be sung to the tune used for
Lord, Who throughout These Forty Days

Father of Jesus Christ, my Lord,
My Savior and my Head;
I trust in you, whose powerful Word
Has raised him from the dead.

To you the glory of your power
And faithfulness I give;
I shall in Christ, at that glad hour,
And Christ in me shall live.

Psalm 90:1-6, 14-15

Make us know the shortness of our life/ that we may gain wisdom of heart. (Ps 90:12)

All humanity is bound together by the common mortality in which Christ Jesus came to share. With us he died, so that in him we might rise to everlasting life. Let us learn from those who have gone before us how to live well so that we may die well, and let us accompany them on their journey with our love and prayer.

O Lord, you have been our refuge
from one generation to the next.
Before the mountains were born
or the earth or the world brought forth,
you are God, without beginning or end.

You turn men back to dust
and say: “Go back, sons of men.”
To your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday, come and gone,
no more than a watch in the night.

You sweep men away like a dream,
like grass which springs up in the morning.
In the morning it springs up and flowers:
by evening it withers and fades.

In the morning, fill us with your love;
we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Give us joy to balance our affliction
for the years when we knew misfortune.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God. John 6:39-40

“This is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it [on] the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the last day.”

I am the resurrection and the life; whoever
believes in me, even if he dies, will live. (Jn 11:25)

Canticle of Mary

If we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection. (Rom 6:5)

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

Through Christ, who became like us in all things but sin, let us pray for those who have died:

R/Give them joy, O Lord!

You were born into the world of death so that you might bring abundant life:
– raise to new life all those who have died in poverty and pain. R/

You took on our flesh, subject to death, so that we might take on new life in you:
– raise to new life those who have died in illness, violence, and deprivation. R/

You died on the cross, that we might rise from the grave:
– raise to new life those who have been tortured, murdered, or executed. R/

Your mother endured the sorrow of your death, that we might know the gladness of your rising:
– raise up all those who are bowed down under the sorrow of bereavement. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

May the angels lead us into paradise; may the martyrs come to welcome us and lead us into the holy city Jerusalem. Amen. (In Paradisum)

Marian Antiphon

When I was a young maiden,
I was pleasing to the Most High,
and from my womb
I brought forth he who is God and man.

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.

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli
porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,
surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti,
natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,
Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore
sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us, poor sinners.

V/ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R/ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

All Souls Day! November 2, 2022 (The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.)

Every November 2, in the liturgical calender, we celebrate All Souls day. The commemoration of all the faitful departed. Hence, today being November 2, 2022, we celebrate all souls day!

The meaning of the celebration

+ On this day the Church remembers all those women and men who have gone before us, marked with the sign of faith, and prays that the Lord in his mercy will welcome them into the Kingdom of Heaven.

+ It was the Benedictine abbot Saint Odilo of Cluny who, in 998, ordered that this feast be celebrated in all the monasteries associated with the great abbey of Cluny. The celebration was later adopted by other religious communities and dioceses. On this day, clergy and religious pray the Office of the Dead (unless the celebration falls on a Sunday) and priests are given special permission to celebrate three Masses on this day: for the souls in Purgatory, for the intentions of the Pope, and for the priest’s own intentions.

+ The various readings from Scripture that can be used for this celebration remind us that God’s power is stronger than death and that nothing is greater than the gift of eternal life God promises us through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

+ As we honor those who have gone before us, we commend them to God’s mercy and love.

For prayer and reflection

“The Church has always strongly advised that we pray for the dead. She invites believers to regard the mystery of death not as the ‘last word’ of human destiny but rather as a passage to eternal life. As we read in the Preface of today’s Mass: When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.”—Pope Saint John Paul II

Spiritual bonus

On November 2, we also remember the tenth century Scottish anchoress Saint Baya and her spiritual student, Saint Maura.

Prayer

Listen kindly to our prayers, O Lord,

and, as our faith in your Son,

raised from the dead, is deepened,

so may our hope of resurrection for your departed servants

also find new strength.

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.

(from The Roman Missal)

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

Prayer for the Morning. November 2, 2022

Let us give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,/
for his mercy endures forever!

Glory to the Father…. Alleluia!

Hymn Meter: SM

(This hymn can be sung to the tune used for
Lord Jesus, Think on Me.)

Remember those, O Lord,
Who in your peace have died,
Yet may not gain love’s high reward
Till love is purified.

With you they faced death’s night
Sealed with your victory sign;
Soon may the splendor of your light
On them for ever shine!

Sweet is their pain, yet deep,
Till perfect love is born;
Their lone night-watch they gladly keep
Before your radiant morn!

For them we humbly pray:
Perfect them in your love!
O may we share eternal day
With them in heaven above!

Psalm 142

Again, [amen,] I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. (Mt 18:19)

The commemoration of All Souls is rooted in the Church’s strong conviction that we, the living, have a serious responsibility in charity to pray for those who have died but must yet complete the purification any human being needs to be able to enjoy the vision of God.

With all my voice I cry to the Lord,
with all my voice I entreat the Lord.
I pour out my trouble before him;
I tell him all my distress
while my spirit faints within me.
But you, O Lord, know my path.

On the way where I shall walk
they have hidden a snare to entrap me.
Look on my right and see:
there is not one who takes my part.
I have no means of escape,
not one who cares for my soul.

I cry to you, O Lord.
I have said: “You are my refuge,
all I have left in the land of the living.”
Listen, then, to my cry
for I am in the depths of distress.

Rescue me from those who pursue me
for they are stronger than I.
Bring my soul out of this prison
and then I shall praise your name.
Around me the just will assemble
because of your goodness to me.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (2 Maccabees 12:44-45)

If he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought.

Pray without ceasing. (1 Thes 5:17)

Canticle of Zechariah

The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. (Jas 5:16)

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

God is a God of the living. With confidence, we pray:

R/Raise them up, O Lord!

For all the dead whom we have loved in life: R/

For all the dead of our parish: R/

For all the dead among those who have harmed us: R/

For all the dead whom no one remembers in prayer: R/

Personal intentions

Our Father….

O God, in the death of your only Son, you gave life to the world. Raise up in joy all those who have died in peace or in terror, in confidence or in uncertainty, through the mercy you have shown us in Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for the Morning

In the light of Christ, we see the light of holiness:
with all the saints, let us adore!

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: 11 12 12 10)

Holy, Holy, Holy! all the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns
around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
Who were and are and ever more shall be!

Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name,
in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, Holy, Holy! merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity.

Psalm 19:8-11

Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy. (Lv 19:2)

All holiness flows from God’s holiness. Jesus Christ, God’s Only Begotten Son, is the wealth of his house; the Spirit pouring out upon the world through his Death and Resurrection is the stream of God’s delight and the source of life. These gifts of God’s love are what make human beings holy.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
it revives the soul.
The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,
it gives wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right,
they gladden the heart.
The command of the Lord is clear,
it gives light to the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is holy,
abiding for ever.
The decrees of the Lord are truth
and all of them just.

They are more to be desired than gold,
than the purest of gold,
and sweeter are they than honey,
than honey from the comb.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Ephesians 1:18-20)

May the eyes of [your] hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might, which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens.

The holy ones of the Most High shall receive
the kingship, to possess it for ever and ever.
(Dn 7:18)

Canticle of Zechariah

Since I, the Lord, brought you up from the land of Egypt that I might be your God, you shall be holy, because I am holy. (Lv 11:45)

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

To God the Father of love, we pray:

R/You are holy, O Lord; make us holy!

You have given us the gift of your love and your truth in Jesus Christ:
– show us in him the way to holiness. R/

You have given us shelter in your house:
– teach us to dwell with one another in mutual love and peace. R/

You have fed us with the finest wheat and given us the cup of life to drink:
– transform us into the one holy Body of Jesus Christ through our participation in the Eucharist. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

O God, you have given us your only Son as the source and measure of all holiness. Through the intercession and example of all the saints, whose memory we honor today, teach us to live as the holy people whom you have called into being in him, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Seek to share in their glory”

The meaning of the celebration of the Solemnity of All Saints.

+ Originally celebrated as a feast commemorating all the martyrs, on All Saints Day, the Church remembers that “great multitude which no one can count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (cf. Revelation 7:9).

+ All Saints Day is a celebration of the fulfillment of Pentecost, recognizing that the message of the Gospel that was entrusted to the Apostles on that holy day has borne fruit in the lives of countless women, men, and children from every corner of the earth who are now with God in heaven.

+ This special feast reminds just hat the call to holiness is for everyone. Not only are we called to be saints, but holiness is possible whatever our age, race, economic status, or vocation.

For prayer reflection

“There is a communion of saint witnessing to the risen Christ that reaches to the far ends of the world and even farther. It embraces people from long ago and far away. It is that immense community of men and women who through words and deeds have proclaimed and are proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus.”—Henri Nouwen in Bread for the Journey

Prayer

Almighty ever-living God,

by whose gifts we venerate in one celebration

the merits of all the Saints,

bestow on us, we pray,

through the prayers of so many intercessors,

an abundance of the reconciliation with you

for which we earnestly long

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.

(from The Roman Missal)

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

Countless people (even Pope Francis) attest to the mysterious appearance of roses at the end of their novena in honor of St. Therese of Lisieux.

Pray this novena and St. Therese might send you a rose from Heaven. It is not very often that God will allow a visible, tangible sign that confirms a particular prayer request. Often we are left confused and not entirely certain that God heard our prayers (though sometimes we will look back and see God’s hand at work regardless of a sign).

On the other hand, St. Therese of Lisieux, a Carmelite nun who lived during the late 1800s, has repeatedly been the channel through which God has confirmed countless prayer intentions. She said before she died, “My mission — to make God loved — will begin after my death … I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses.”

While this bold claim can be interpreted in a spiritual way, many people believe that St. Therese has answered their prayers with a physical rose.

Pope Francis is one of the most well-known proponents of the “rose novena.” According to the Catholic News Agency, Pope Francis said to journalists, “When I don’t know how things are going to go, I have the custom of asking Saint Therese of the Child Jesus to take the problem into her hands and that she send me a rose.”

The pope reportedly will receive white roses in answer to a prayer, while others claim they receive red roses at the conclusion of their nine days of prayer.

While people might ask if there are particular “magic words” that will make the rose appear, there exists no such thing. God does not respond to prayers that are insincere and are only looking for a sign. God rewards those who pray from their heart and who are prepared to do his will, no matter what the result may be.

Those who pray the rose novena do so out of their love of God and their desire to follow the “little way” of St. Therese. She taught during her life how we should “do small things with great love.” Whatever it is, even it is washing the dishes, the key is to do it with great love.

Technically the rose novena does not require a specific “formula” to invoke St. Therese’s intercession, but for those who are not sure what to pray, below is the most common prayer that millions of souls have prayed over the years. Often people will pray this for a period of nine days and at the end of the nine days, a rose might appear to confirm that prayer intention. You are never guaranteed a rose, but to someone who is ready to receive God’s will, anything is possible.

Pray this novena and St. Therese might send you a rose from Heaven

O Little Therese of the Child Jesus
Please pick for me a rose
from the heavenly garden
and send it to me
as a message of love.

O Little Flower of Jesus,
ask God to grant the favors
I now place with confidence
in your hands

( mention your special prayer request here ).

St. Therese, help me to always believe
as you did, in God’s great love for me,
so that I may imitate your “Little Way” each day.

Amen.

Would you pray this novena and St. Therese might send you a rose from Heaven? Please leave a comment. God bless!

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