SERENITY

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.

🙏

#Day101 ( June 23)
#CommunityQuarantine
#Lockdown
🏠

A Sacrifice to be Real. . .

A sacrifuce to be real must cost, must hurt, must emplty ourselves. 

God wants each of us to give Him our all. After all He gave His all.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us

Hail Mary,

Full of Grace,

The Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit

of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary,

Mother of God,

pray for us sinners now,

and at the hour of death.

Amen.

PSALM 23

"The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

Prayer

Prayer can be explained in many terms and ways. There are a lot of definitions and understanding about what prayer is.

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins/ for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”

And he said to them, suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,” and he says in reply from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.” I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an eggs? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

--- Luke 11:1-13

The Power of the Rosary

"The Rosary is the most excellent form of prayer and the most efficacious means of attaining eternal life. It is the remedy for all our evils, the root of all our blessings. There is no more excellent way of praying." Pope Leo XIII

St. Dominic prayed to Our Lady that she would force the devils who possessed a man to reveal the truth about devotion to her. The devils were forced by Our Lady to reveal: "Now that we are forced to speak we must also tell you this: Nobody who perseveres in saying the Rosary will be damned, because she obtains for her servants the grace of true contrition for their sins and by means of this they obtain God's forgiveness and mercy."

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity 
to accept the things I cannot change; 
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference. 

Living one day at a time; 
Enjoying one moment at a time; 
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; 
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it; 
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life 
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.

Amen. 

Prayer is . . .

‎Prayer begins as talking. 

Prayer matures as not-talking.

Prayer blossoms as listening.

Prayer is fulfilled as being.

Last Seven Words

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." - (Luke 23:34)

"Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." - (Luke 23:43)

"Woman, here is your son... Here is your mother." - (John 19:26-27)

"Eli, Eli, leme sabachthani?" (My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?) - (Matthew 27:46: Ref. Psalm 22:1)

"I thirst." - (John 19:28)

"It is finished." - (John 19:30)

"Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit." - (Luke 23:46: Ref. Psalm 30:6)

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. It is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which we attain redemption.

Why we receive the ashes

Following the example of the Nine vites, who did penance in sackcloth and ashes, our foreheads are marked with ashes to humble our hearts and reminds us that life passes away on Earth. We remember this when we are told

"Remember, Man is dust, and unto dust you shall return."

Ashes are a symbol of penance made sacramental by the blessing of the Church, and they help us develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice.

The distribution of ashes comes from a ceremony of ages past. Christians who had committed grave faults performed public penance. On Ash Wednesday, the Bishop blessed the hair shirts which they were to wear during the forty days of penance, and sprinkled over them ashes made from the palms from the previous year. Then, while the faithful recited the Seven Penitential Psalms, the penitents were turned out of the church because of their sins -- just as Adam, the first man, was turned out of Paradise because of his disobedience. The penitents did not enter the church again until Maundy Thursday after having won reconciliation by the toil of forty days' penance and sacramental absolution. Later, all Christians, whether public or secret penitents, came to receive ashes out of devotion. In earlier times, the distribution of ashes was followed by a penitential procession.

The Ashes

The ashes are made from the blessed palms used in the Palm Sunday celebration of the previous year. The ashes are christened with Holy Water and are scented by exposure to incense. While the ashes symbolize penance and contrition, they are also a reminder that God is gracious and merciful to those who call on Him with repentant hearts. His Divine mercy is of utmost importance during the season of Lent, and the Church calls on us to seek that mercy during the entire Lenten season with reflection, prayer and penance.

- Catholic Online 

give me a break...sometimes

God wants us to know...


... that love is sometimes shown in the things we don't say, 

don't keep track of, and don't notice.

The greatest kindness is often shown in letting things go.

None of us is perfect, 

but we can all be perfect friends

and perfect parters by allowing those that we love to be imperfect.

Give those around us the "break"

that we hope the world will give us on our own "bad day"

and we'll never, ever regret it.

kids busy life ...with YOU !

My Prayer

Dear God, our Father, 

Walk through my house and take away all my worries and illnesses 

and

please watch over 

and heal my family and friends.

in God's name

Amen.

Kids Busy Life

Today I hold still

To balance and recharge,

To release the week before

And prepare for the week ahead.

With You here beside me,

My mind quiets to hear Your voice.

My heart opens to draw You in.

And, with Your peace

within and around me,

I thank You for this opportunity

to be made new.

-Abigail Wurdeman

A Prayer

"A great prayer for life is urgently needed, 

a prayer which will rise up throughout the world.

 Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, 

may an impassioned plea rise to God, 

the Creator and lover of life,

from every Christian community,

 from every group and association,

from every family and from the heart of every believer.”

– Pope John Paul II, 
The Gospel of Life (Evangelium Vitae), n. 100.

MASS READINGS for August 8, 2012 (Feast of Saint Dominic de Guzman)

Book of Jeremiah 31:1-7.

At that time, says the LORD, I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel, and they shall be my people. 

Thus says the LORD: The people that escaped the sword have found favor in the desert. As Israel comes forward to be given his rest, 

the LORD appears to him from afar: With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you. 

Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin Israel; Carrying your festive tambourines, you shall go forth dancing with the merrymakers. 

Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; those who plant them shall enjoy the fruits. 

Yes, a day will come when the watchmen will call out on Mount Ephraim: "Rise up, let us go to Zion, to the LORD, our God." 

For thus says the LORD: Shout with joy for Jacob, exult at the head of the nations; proclaim your praise and say: The LORD has delivered his people, the remnant of Israel. 

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Book of Jeremiah 31:10.11-12ab.13.

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, 

Proclaim it on distant isles, and say: 

He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together, 

He guards them as a shepherd his flock. 

The LORD shall ransom Jacob, 

He shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. 

Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,

They shall come streaming to the LORD's blessings: 

Then the virgins shall make merry and dance, 

And young men and old as well. 

I will turn their mourning into joy, 

I will console and gladden them after their sorrows. 

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 15:21-28.

Then Jesus went from that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, "Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon." 

But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, "Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us." 

He said in reply, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

But the woman came and did him homage, saying, "Lord, help me."

He said in reply, "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs."

She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters." 

Then Jesus said to her in reply, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Lovingkindness is Everlasting

"Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

To Him who alone does great wonders,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

To Him who made the heavens with skill,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

To Him who made the great lights,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting:

The sun to rule by day,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

The moon and stars to rule by night,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

To Him who smote the Egyptians in their firstborn,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

And brought Israel out from their midst,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

To Him who divided the Red Sea asunder,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

And made Israel pass through the midst of it,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting."

Psalm 136:3-15

Psalm 119:145-152

 I call with all my heart; answer me, LORD,

and I will obey your decrees.

 I call out to you; save me

and I will keep your statutes.

I rise before dawn and cry for help;

I have put my hope in your word.

My eyes stay open through the watches of the night,

that I may meditate on your promises.

Hear my voice in accordance with your love;

preserve my life, LORD, according to your laws.

Those who devise wicked schemes are near,

but they are far from your law.

Yet you are near, LORD,

and all your commands are true.

Long ago I learned from your statutes

that you established them to last forever.

- - -Psalm 119:145-152

Prayer of Guidance

O Lord our God, under the shadow of Thy wings let us hope. 

Thou wilt support us, both when little and even to gray hairs.

When our strength is of Thee, it is strength

 but, when our own, it is feebleness

 We return unto Thee,

O Lord, that from their weariness our soul may rise towards Thee

leaning on the thing which Thou has created

 and passing on to Thyself

who hast wonderfully made them

for with Thee is refreshment and true strength

Amen