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PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (THURSDAY, JANUARY 14)

raphael

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January 14, 2021

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PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (THURSDAY, JANUARY 14)

Prayer for the Evening

The word of the Lord is faithful/ and all his works

to be trusted: come, let us give thanks and praise!

(cf. Ps 33:4)

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

You are my portion, O my God;

Soon as I know your way,

My heart makes haste t’obey your word,

And suffers no delay.

I choose the path of heav’nly truth,

And glory in my choice;

Not all the riches of the earth

Could make me so rejoice.

If I once wander from your path,

I think upon my ways,

Then turn my feet to your commands,

And trust your pard’ning grace.

You have inclined this heart of mine

Your statutes to fulfill;

And thus, till mortal life shall end,

Would I perform your will.

CANTICLE OF ISAIAH 35:4b, 8-10

You have the words of eternal life. (Jn 6:68)

The way of God leads to wisdom, joy, light, and life; the way of evil leads to foolishness, suffering, darkness, and death. Let us live by God’s law.

Here is your God,

he comes with vindication;

with divine recompense

he comes to save you.

A highway will be there,

called the holy way;

no one unclean may pass over it,

nor fools go astray on it.

No lion will be there,

nor beast of prey go up to be met upon it.

It is for those with a journey to make,

and on it the redeemed will walk.

Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return

and enter Zion singing,

crowned with everlasting joy;

they will meet with joy and gladness,

sorrow and mourning will flee.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (Sirach 24:18-21)

Come to me, all you that yearn for me,/ and be filled with my fruits;/ You will remember me as sweeter than honey,/ better to have than the honeycomb./ He who eats of me will hunger still,/ he who drinks of me will thirst for more;/ He who obeys me will not be put to shame,/ he who serves me will never fail.

Taste and see that the Lord is good. (Ps 34:9)

CANTICLE OF MARY

You will live in my love if you keep my commandments. (cf. Jn 15:10)

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

O Lord, you are the Word of life. As evening falls, we pray:

R/Jesus, light our way.

O Lord, your Word gives wisdom to the simple:

– make us simple of heart. R/

O Lord, your Word is sweet to the taste:

– grant us the discernment to prefer its taste to any empty words we may hear this evening. R/

O Lord, your Word is steadfast, abiding for ever:

– keep our feet firmly on the path to everlasting life. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

May the word of Christ dwell in us richly, and bring us to life everlasting! Amen. (cf. Col 3:16)

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Antiphon for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, January 1

The root of Jesse has budded,

a star has arisen from Jacob;

a Virgin has brought forth the Savior;

we praise you, our God.

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.

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.

PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (THURSDAY, JANUARY 14)

raphael

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January 14, 2021

1

PRAYER FOR THIS MORNING (THURSDAY, JANUARY 14)

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

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…

INTERCESSIONS

As disciples of the risen Lord, we pray:

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 those whose lives we touch, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of thanksgiving for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross

raphael

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January 13, 2021

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Prayer of thanksgiving for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross

Thank Jesus for the gift of his sacrifice and for the boundless love and mercy it expressed.

While we may not always know what we can be thankful for in our lives, we can always be thankful for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. It was this sacrifice that opened the gates of Heaven and has since provided for us innumerable graces.

St. Paul of the Cross, a holy priest of the 18th century, was deeply devoted to the Passion of Jesus Christ and frequently expressed gratitude to God for his sacrifice. He wrote a series of meditations and in them, he would reflect on how Jesus suffered for you and me.

Why does He suffer? (Reflect that it is not for His own sake, but for men, His creatures, for sinners especially, and therefore for you in particular.)

Here is a short prayer of his that we can make our own, reminding ourselves of the great gift Jesus gave to us on the cross.

Grant me, O Lord, through your bitter Passion and death, the grace to know and love your infinite goodness; to thank you and have compassion for you for your sufferings on my behalf. Awaken in me a lively sorrow for my sins and help me for the future to do your holy will.

Needing protection and comfort? Try this beautiful Novena of the Holy Cloak of Joseph

raphael

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January 13, 2021

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Needing protection and comfort? Try this beautiful Novena of the Holy Cloak of Joseph

The name alone draws one in with a beautiful image …

This month of St. Joseph is a great time to begin praying a lesser-known but incredibly powerful novena to the foster father of Jesus: the Holy Cloak Novena.

The name alone draws one in with a beautiful image: the cloak that St. Joseph wore.

As we contemplate this image, the cloak worn by this paternal, protective saint, the guardian of the Holy Family, we can imagine St. Joseph removing it to keep Mary warm as she held the sleeping infant Jesus.

We can imagine the little Christ child playing hide and seek in the folds of this great cloak, and as he grew, draping it around his own shoulders. We recognize what a fitting symbol this cloak is for what St. Joseph does for us, through his powerful intercession. A cloak protects against bad weather; it warms; it comforts.

And when we seek the protection of blessed St. Joseph, he folds around us like a cloak, a steady warming presence. Finally, the cloak is such a poignant symbol of St. Joseph’s time on earth: a practical, human object that reminds us that St. Joseph lived a human life and felt firsthand what it was to be cold, what it was to be vulnerable; he understands it all.

He was entrusted with the supremely vital task of protecting Jesus and Mary. He is known as “The Custodian of the Two Hearts.” Our society is fascinated with the idea of Hollywood superheroes, but those caped defenders all fall flat beside an authentic hero like St. Joseph, with his incredible strength surrounded by a humble cloak, as he guarded and protected the most important souls ever to walk the earth.

May the cloak of St. Joseph be our shield of protection on this earth.

THE NOVENA OF THE HOLY CLOAK

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul.

(Recite the Glory Be 3 times to our Heavenly Father in thanksgiving for having exalted St. Joseph to a position of such exceptional dignity.)

OFFERING

I

O Glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, I humbly prostrate myself before Thee. I beg the Lord Jesus, thine Immaculate Spouse, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the Angels and Saints in the Heavenly Court, to join me in this devotion. I offer thee this precious cloak, while pledging my sincerest faith and devotion. I promise to do all in my power to honor thee throughout my lifetime to prove my love for thee.

Help me, St. Joseph. Assist me now and throughout my lifetime, but especially at the moment of my death, as thou wert assisted by Jesus and Mary, that I may join thee one day in Heaven and there honor thee for all eternity. Amen.

II

O Glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, prostrate, before thee and thy Divine Son, Jesus, I offer thee, with heartfelt devotion, this precious treasury of prayers, being ever mindful of the numerous virtues which adorned thy sacred person. In thee, O Glorious Patriarch, was fulfilled the dream of thy precursor the first Joseph, who indeed seemed to have been sent by God to prepare the way for thy presence on this Earth. In fact, not only wert thou surrounded by the shining splendor of the rays of the Divine Sun, Jesus, but thou wert splendidly reflected in the brilliant light of the mystic moon, the Blessed Virgin Mary. O Glorious Patriarch, if the example of the ancient Jacob, who personally went to congratulate his favorite son, who was exalted on the throne of Egypt, served to bring all his progeny there, should not the example of Jesus and Mary, who honored thee with their greatest respect and trust, serve to bring me, thy devoted servant, to present thee with this precious cloak in thy honor.

Grant, O Great St. Joseph, that the Almighty God may turn a benevolent glance toward me. As the ancient Joseph did not reject his guilty and cruel brothers, but rather accepted them with love and protected and saved them from hunger and death, I beseech thee, O Glorious Patriarch, through thine intercession, grant that the Lord may never abandon me in this exiled valley of sorrows. Grant that He may always number me as one of thy devoted servants who dost live serenely under the patronage of thy Holy Cloak. Grant that I may live always within the protection of this patronage, every day of my life and particularly at that moment when I draw my dying breath.

PRAYERS

I

Hail O Glorious St. Joseph, thou who art entrusted with the priceless treasures of Heaven and Earth and foster-father of Him Who doth nourish all the creatures of the universe. Thou art, after Mary, the Saint most worthy of our love and devotion. Thou alone, above all the Saints, wert chosen for that supreme honor of rearing, guiding, nourishing and even embracing the Messiah, Whom so many kings and prophets would have so desired to behold.

St. Joseph, save my soul and obtain for me from the Divine Mercy of God that petition for which I humbly pray. And for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, grant a great comfort from their pain.

(Recite the Glory Be 3 times to our Heavenly Father in thanksgiving for having exalted St. Joseph to a position of such exceptional dignity.)

II

O powerful St. Joseph, thou wert proclaimed the Patron of the Universal Church, therefore, I invoke thee, above all the other Saints, as the greatest protector of the afflicted, and I offer countless blessings to thy most generous heart, always ready to help in any need.

To thee, O Glorious St. Joseph, come the widows, the orphans, the abandoned, the afflicted, the oppressed. There is no sorrow, heartache or anguish which thou hast not consoled. Deign, I beseech thee, to use on my behalf those gifts which God hast given thee, until I too shall be granted the answer to my petition And thou, Holy Souls in Purgatory, pray to St. Joseph for me.

(Recite the Glory Be 3 times to our Heavenly Father in thanksgiving for having exalted St. Joseph to a position of such exceptional dignity.)

III

Countless are those who have prayed to thee before me and have received comfort and peace, graces and favors. My heart, so sad and sorrowful, cannot find rest in the midst of this trial which besets me. O Glorious St. Joseph, thou knowest all my needs even before I set them forth in prayer. Thou knowest how important this petition is for me. I prostrate myself before thee as I sigh under the heavy weight of the problem which confronts me.

There is no human heart in which I can confide my sorrow; and even if I should find a compassionate creature who would be willing to assist me, still he would be unable to help me. Only thou can help me in my sorrow, St. Joseph, and I beg thee to hear my plea.

Has not St. Teresa left it written in her dialogues that the world may always know “Whatever you ask of St. Joseph, you shall receive.”

O St. Joseph, comforter of the afflicted, have pity on my sorrow and pity on those Poor Souls who place so much hope in their prayers to thee.

(Recite the Glory Be 3 times to our Heavenly Father in thanksgiving for having exalted St. Joseph to a position of such exceptional dignity.)

IV

O Sublime Patriarch St. Joseph, because of thy perfect obedience to God, thou mayest intercede for me.

For thy holy life full of grace and merit, hear my prayer.

For thy most sweet name, help me. For your most holy tears, comfort me.

For thy seven sorrows, intercede for me. For your seven joys, console me.

From all harm of body and soul, deliver me. From all danger and disaster, save me.

Assist me with thy powerful intercession and seek for me, through thy power and mercy, all that is necessary for my salvation and particularly the favor of which I now stand in such great need.

(Recite the Glory Be 3 times to our Heavenly Father in thanksgiving for having exalted St. Joseph to a position of such exceptional dignity.)

V

O Glorious St. Joseph, countless are the graces and favors which thou hast obtained for afflicted souls. Illness of every nature, those who are oppressed, persecuted, betrayed, bereft of all human comfort, even those in need of their life bread — all who imploreth thy powerful intercession are comforted in their affliction.

Do not permit, O dearest St. Joseph, that I alone be the only one of all who hast appealed to thee, to be denied this petition which I so earnestly beg of thee. Show thy kindness and generosity even to me, that I may cry out in thanksgiving, “Eternal glory to our Holy Patriarch St. Joseph, my great protector on Earth and the defender of the Holy Souls in Purgatory.”

(Recite the Glory Be 3 times to our Heavenly Father in thanksgiving for having exalted St. Joseph to a position of such exceptional dignity.)

VI

Eternal Father, Who art in Heaven, through the merits of Jesus and Mary, I beg Thee to grant my petition. In the name of Jesus and Mary I prostrate myself before Thy Divine presence and I beseech Thee to accept my hopeful plea to persevere in my prayers that I may be numbered among the throngs of those who live under the patronage of St. Joseph.

Extend Thy blessing on this precious treasury of prayers which I today offer to him as a pledge of my devotion.

(Recite the Glory Be 3 times to our Heavenly Father in thanksgiving for having exalted St. Joseph to a position of such exceptional dignity.)

CLOSING PRAYER OF THE HOLY CLOAK

O Glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, thou who wert chosen by God above all men to be the earthly head of the most holy of families, I beseech thee to accept me within the folds of thy holy cloak, that thou mayest become the guardian and custodian of my soul.

From this moment on, I choose thee as my father, my protector, my counselor, my patron and I beseech thee to place in thy custody my body, my soul, all that I am, all that I possess, my life and my death.

Look upon me as one of thy children; defend me from the treachery of my enemies, invisible or otherwise, assist me at all times in all my necessities; console me in the bitterness of my life, and especially at the hour of my death. Say but one word for me to the Divine Redeemer Whom thou wert deemed worthy to hold in thine arms, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, thy most chaste spouse. Request for me those blessings which will lead me to salvation. Include me amongst those who art most dear to thee and I shall set forth to prove myself worthy of thy special patronage. Amen.

What is the Holy Cloak of St. Joseph?

raphael

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January 13, 2021

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It is both a novena prayer and a physical relic kept in a church in Rome.

One of the most popular devotions to St. Joseph is called the “Holy Cloak Novena.” It consists of a series of prayers said for 30 consecutive days, in memory of the 30 years that some believe St. Joseph lived as Jesus’ foster father.

At the same time, the novena is based, in part, on the belief that there exists an actual cloak of St. Joseph that is kept in a church in Rome.

The 19th-century book The Life and Glories of St. Joseph gives a brief history of this cloak.

Now of St. Joseph no actual relic existed, only some portions of his garments sanctified by contact with his holy and now, as we believe, glorified body. Rome possesses a splendid relic in the pallium or mantle of the saint, so much the more to be venerated as it must so often have enveloped the Divine Infant when clasped in Joseph’s arms. This precious relic was kept in the ancient collegiate church of St. Anastasia built about the year 300 by Apollonia, a noble Roman matron in order there to deposit the body of St. Anastasia, Virgin and Martyr. It is believed that St. Jerome, when called to Rome by St. Damasus for the affairs of his Pontificate, celebrated Mass during the three years of his abode at the altar where this relic is preserved. The chalice of which he made use is still shown.

Is this cloak an authentic relic that was somehow brought from the Holy Land?

Unfortunately, there exists little evidence to back up the claim.

Yet, there did exist at one time a cloak that St. Joseph used to protect the Infant Jesus from the cold weather. With this in mind, we can stir up our imagination and foster a greater appreciation and veneration of St. Joseph, invoking his protection in our own lives.

O holy protector of the Holy Family, protect us children of the Lord Jesus Christ; keep far from us the errors and evils which corrupt the world; assist us from Heaven in our struggles against the powers of darkness. And as you once did protect the Divine Child from the cruel edict of Herod, now defend the Church and keep it safe from all dangers and threats; spread over all of us your holy patronage so that by following your example and aided by your spiritual guidance, we may be enabled to lead a holy life, die a happy death, and come at last to the possession of everlasting blessedness in Heaven. Amen.

PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13)

raphael

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January 13, 2021

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PRAYER FOR THIS EVENING (WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13)

Prayer for the Evening

God hears a cause that is just: come, let us pray.

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

Call on God, your one salvation,

Rest beneath th’Almighty’s shade;

In his hidden habitation

Dwell, and never be dismayed.

God shall charge his angel legions

Over you their care to keep,

Though you walk through hostile regions,

Though in desert wilds you sleep.

Since, with pure and firm affection,

You have set on God your love,

With the wings of his protection

He will shield you from above.

When you call on him in trouble,

He will hearken, he will save;

Here for grief reward you double,

Crown with life beyond the grave.

PSALM 17:1-3a, 6-9a

In the shadow of your wings I take refuge/ till the storms of destruction pass by. (Ps 57:2b)

Powerful carved cherubim spread their wings over the ark of the covenant, where God sat “enthroned” in luminous cloud in the Temple’s inner chamber. In the psalms, the “shadow of God’s wings” came to mean the holy place where one could find safe refuge in the divine presence.

Lord, hear a cause that is just,

pay heed to my cry.

Turn your ear to my prayer:

no deceit is on my lips.

From you may my judgment come forth.

Your eyes discern the truth.

You search my heart, you visit me by night.

I am here and I call, you will hear me, O God.

Turn your ear to me; hear my words.

Display your great love, you whose right hand saves

your friends from those who rebel against them.

Guard me as the apple of your eye.

Hide me in the shadow of your wings

from the violent attack of the wicked.

Glory to the Father….

Word of God (John 17:11-12)

Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled.

By the power of God you are safeguarded

through faith! (cf. 1 Pt 1:5)

CANTICLE OF MARY

Jesus prayed, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one.” (cf. Jn 17:15)

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

Let us pray in the name of all who are suffering in our day the pain of the cross:

R/Turn your ear to us; hear our words!

Lord, you are the justice of God, but you were condemned as a criminal:

– strengthen in forgiveness those who are unjustly condemned. R/

Lord, you are the truth of God:

– deliver from harm all those who are threatened by lies. R/

Lord, you are the love of God made visible:

– save all those who are menaced by hatred, cruelty, and abuse. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

May the Lord rescue us from every evil threat and bring us safe to his heavenly kingdom. Amen. (cf. 2 Tm 4:18)

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Antiphon for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, January 1

The root of Jesse has budded,

a star has arisen from Jacob;

a Virgin has brought forth the Savior;

we praise you, our God.

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.

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.

Prayer for peace and harmony to spread over the earth

raphael

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January 13, 2021

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Prayer for peace and harmony to spread over the earth

Ask God to shower his graces upon everyone, that peace might reign.

God desires peace on earth and eagerly listens to our prayers.

Below is a short prayer from St. Clement I that asks God to spread his peace and harmony over the entire earth.

Come, Lord, let your face shine upon us so that we may peacefully enjoy all good things.

May your powerful hand be a roof over our heads and may your strength preserve us from all wrongdoing.

Free us, Lord, from those who hate us without cause.

Give peace and harmony to us and to all the inhabitants of the Earth, as you gave them to our fathers who called on you with trust and faith.

You alone can give us these gifts and confer these favors on us.

We put our trust in you through Jesus Christ, our high priest, the guardian of our souls.

Through him be glory and majesty to you now and through all generations until the end of time.

Amen.

Entrust world peace to Mary, Queen of Peace

raphael

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January 13, 2021

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Entrust world peace to Mary, Queen of Peace

Pope Benedict XVI offered a beautiful prayer in 2007 that began the year by entrusting world peace to Mary.

The Church starts off the year with a World Day of Peace that coincides with the feast of Mary, Mother of God.

This encourages us to pray for peace, invoking the special care and intercession of the Virgin Mary.

Pope Benedict XVI composed the following prayer that entrusts world peace to Mary, Queen of Peace. It is a great way to start the year, letting her guide us in our desire for an end to all violence and division.

To the Queen of Peace, the Mother of Jesus Christ “our peace” (Eph 2:14), I entrust my urgent prayer for all humanity at the beginning of the year … to which we look with hearts full of hope, notwithstanding the dangers and difficulties that surround us. May Mary show us, in her Son, the Way of peace, and enlighten our vision, so that we can recognize Christ’s face in the face of every human person, the heart of peace!

Try the Joseph Rosary

raphael

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January 13, 2021

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This will help you go deeper in the Jubilee Year dedicated to Jesus’ earthly father.

Have you ever prayed a rosary where you add a phrase after “Jesus” in the Hail Mary?

It has been my family’s preferred method ever since Pope John Paul II recommended it, citing Pope Paul VI, in his Letter on the Rosary (No. 33). St. Louis Marie de Montfort’s Secret of the Rosary, recommends the practice as well.

You do it by adding words or phrases at the end of the first half of each Hail Mary that remind you which of the mysteries you are praying. For instance:

Annunciation: “… and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus, conceived in you by the Holy Spirit. Holy Mary, Mother of God …”

I put a guide to each mystery in my book The Rosary of Saint John Paul II. We Hoopeses have expanded on this, in order to share a little bit more about the mystery. For instance:

Annunciation: “… Jesus, announced by Gabriel;” “… Jesus, who is the word made flesh;” “… Jesus, who waited on your fiat;” “… Jesus, who was both God and an embryo;” etc.

For the Year of Joseph, just announced by Pope Francis, we have used this version to contemplate the virtues of Jesus’ earthly father. These phrases are suggestions; you could think of others.

First Joyful Mystery, the Annunciation

Mary, betrothed to Joseph, accepts the angel’s invitation to be the Mother of God.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus,

whose earthly father, Joseph…

… was of the house of David.

… fulfilled the Messianic promises.

… was a just man.

… saw your innocence.

… decided not to expose you to shame.

… was visited by an angel.

… believed the prophecies.

… gave his own silent “fiat” to Gabriel.

… dedicated himself to his unborn Lord.

… dedicated himself to you.

Second Joyful Mystery, the Visitation

Mary leaves Joseph’s town to help Elizabeth.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus,

whose earthly father, Joseph…

… helped you travel.

… (probably) accompanied you to visit Elizabeth.

… helped protect you.

… helped provide for you.

… supported your vocation.

… knew Elizabeth called you “Mother of my Lord.”

… learned your “Magnificat.”

… was your “most chaste spouse.”

… dedicated himself to the unborn Lord.

… dedicated himself to you.

Third Joyful Mystery, the Nativity of Jesus

Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem for Jesus’ birth.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus,

whose earthly father, Joseph…

… brought you to Bethlehem.

… sought space in the Inn.

… prepared a place in the manger.

… facilitated his Lord’s birth.

… kept the first all-night adoration at the manger.

… was the envy of the shepherds.

… was astonished by the Magi.

… protected the Lord who protected him.

… obeyed the Lord’s warning.

… fled from Herod to Egypt.

The Fourth Joyful Mystery, the Presentation in the Temple

Joseph and Mary bring the child Jesus to the Temple in obedience to the Law.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus,

whose earthly father, Joseph…

… brought you safe to Nazareth.

… bestowed the name “Jesus” on his Lord.

… presented his son in the Temple.

… was obedient to the law.

… was dignified in his poverty.

… brought two turtledoves to sacrifice.

… modeled love of the Temple.

… modeled courage at Simeon’s warning.

… taught his Lord to walk, talk and work.

… gave his Lord a loving home.

The Fifth Joyful Mystery, the Finding in the Temple

Joseph and Mary discover Jesus in the Temple.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus,

whose earthly father, Joseph…

… taught his son religion.

… faithfully celebrated the Passover.

… brought his family to the Temple.

… sought his lost son anxiously.

… sought his son among family.

… found his son at the Temple.

… found his son with the elders.

… was astonished when he found him.

… received obedience from his Lord.

… helped his son advance in wisdom.

Saint of the Day: St. Hilary of Poitiers (WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13)

raphael

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January 13, 2021

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Saint of the Day: St. Hilary of Poitiers (WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13)

Doctor of the Divinity of Christ. Bishop and Doctor of the Church (d. ca. 368)

His life

+ Hilary was born into a noble family in Poitiers, France. Although he was raised as a pagan his philosophical inquiries and study of Sacred Scripture led him to the Christian Faith.

+ Appointed bishop of Poitiers in 353, Hilary spent considerable time and energy combatting the Arian heresy, which denied the Divinity of Jesus. While a very mild-mannered and agreeable person, he did not hesitate to use severe language in proving the Emperor Constantius for his support of Arianism.

+ The outraged emperor exiled Hilary as punishment for his criticism. Hilary spent those years in exile writing in defense of the Faith and he became one of more influential churchmen of his day.

+ Saint Hilary eventually returned to Poitiers and died there around 368. He has traditionally been invoked for protection against snakebites and was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1851.

For prayer and reflection

“Through the prophets and apostles we know about you, the one God the Father, and the one Lord Jesus Christ. May we have the grace, the face of heretics who deny you, to honor you as God, who is not alone, and to proclaim this as truth.”—Saint Hilary of Poitiers

Prayer

O Lord our God,

you raised up your servant Hilary

to be a champion of the catholic faith:

Keep us steadfast in that true faith

which we professed at our baptism,

that we may rejoice in having you for our Father,

and may abide in your Son,

in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit;

who live and reign for ever and ever.

Amen.

(from The Roman Missal)

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

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CANTICLE OF ISAIAH 35:4b, 8-10

Word of God (Sirach 24:18-21)

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CANTICLE OF EZEKIEL 36:24-28

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Canticle of Zechariah

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Thank Jesus for the gift of his sacrifice and for the boundless love and mercy it expressed.

The name alone draws one in with a beautiful image …

THE NOVENA OF THE HOLY CLOAK

OFFERING

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CLOSING PRAYER OF THE HOLY CLOAK

It is both a novena prayer and a physical relic kept in a church in Rome.

Prayer for the Evening

HYMN

PSALM 17:1-3a, 6-9a

Word of God (John 17:11-12)

CANTICLE OF MARY

INTERCESSIONS

MARIAN ANTIPHON

Ask God to shower his graces upon everyone, that peace might reign.

Pope Benedict XVI offered a beautiful prayer in 2007 that began the year by entrusting world peace to Mary.

This will help you go deeper in the Jubilee Year dedicated to Jesus’ earthly father.

Doctor of the Divinity of Christ. Bishop and Doctor of the Church (d. ca. 368)

His life

For prayer and reflection

Prayer

sharing the faith received

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