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PRAY
TO
END
ABORTION
!
O Mary conceived without sin
Pray for us who have recourse to thee
From Fr. John’s Journal
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine
upon them. It is a consolation that the mercy of God
purifies the soul after death in order to prepare it for
the eternal beatitudes of heaven. What would become of
most of us if there were no purgatory? Since only the
pure of heart may see the Face of God, and no soul with
a blemish can enter into the holy of holies, only the
innocent child without sin and the saint purified
by penance on earth could go straight to heaven at the
hour of death. Even some of the saints came back
to tell us that they had to pass through purgatory
first. An example which comes to mind is St Claude
de Colombiere who came to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and
shared her experience of the purgatorial fires.
Our Lady at Fatima reminded us of the existence of
purgatory and the great need to give aid through prayer
and penance to the holy souls who cannot help
themselves.
Remember to offer
Masses and rosaries, mortifications and indulgences for
your own family members, friends and neighbors. How long
should we pray for someone who has died? Pray for them
until you see them again in the next life!
The Infant Jesus and
Fatima are linked together in that beautiful chain of
prayer we call the rosary.
“Silent
night, holy night….” Some of my cherished memories
of Christmas are the silent hours between the
“Children’s Mass” and the Midnight Mass. With the crowds
gone home to celebrate Christmas with their own
families, I’d go into the quiet Church; and with only
the Christmas lights illuminating the manger and
Sanctuary I’d recite the Joyful mysteries of the rosary.
It was a peaceful time to think of the silence of the
stable that first Christmas, and to contemplate Mary
holding her Infant-God in her arms while Joseph
slept—the shepherds having already returned to their
flocks and fields praising God for appearing on earth.
As
a young boy and teenager I often spent Christmas Eve at
my Grandparents. From early morning on Christmas Eve
until late at night, the house was always filled with
family and friends. But by ten thirty or eleven o’clock
at night, everyone was gone. Grandpa was asleep and
Grandma K. and I would sit quietly by the Christmas
tree, bask in the Christmas lights, and
reminisce quietly about past Christmases…. just as I do
now on Christmas Eve night with Jesus in the tabernacle.
Silence is a rare commodity
in our lives today. There is simply too much
noise—T.V., radio, internet, iPhones,
continual useless chatter, etc., etc., etc….We
have bought into the lie that we must be
available to everyone who tries to get a hold
of us seven days a week, 24–hours-a-day. I
think that notion of perpetual availability
comes from the devil. He tries to keep us
from the silence which leads to prayer and
contemplation and communion with God. Silence is not
only necessary for prayer, it is
absolutely necessary for a happy, healthy,
and holy life.
The lesson of silence must be
revisited today, and these two months of
November and December—the “Month of
the Holy Souls” and the “Month of the
Nativity” - provide plenty of opportunities to
consider the interior silence needed for the
spiritual life.
In Purgatory silence reigns! The souls
undergoing purification are now totally open
to God with no distractions. They are intent
only on living in the Divine Will. Their
interior silence enables them to hear God and
to
follow their only burning desire; union
with God in heaven. The holy souls in this
state are also aware of our thoughts and
prayers for them, and at the same time are
eager to assist us in our needs.
In the Christmas mystery Our Lady
teaches us to ponder all the lessons her Son
has taught in our hearts. Mary
is the embodiment of interior
silence and recollection. When
I contemplate Mary during
Advent it is her silence which
comes to mind as She prepares
for His holy birth.
St. Joseph is another model of
interior silence. Because he possesses this
gift. He is able to hear God speaking to him
at every turn, one to promptly obey God’s
every command. In St. Joseph we see the
great value of silence in our lives in order
that we may remain united to God’s Will in
all things.
The infant Jesus
brings peace on Christmas
to men of good will. How
is a “good will” fostered?
Only through interior
silence which gives way to
obedience to God and His
commandments. God
comes into our world in the
silence of this night, to a
Mother enveloped in
interior silence, with a foster
Father who listens with the
heart and loves God above
all things.
May the silence of
God envelope us, too. May
we turn away from all unnecessary noise to live
in
God’s Will and to prepare for His coming.
Francisco preferred to
spend time praying to the “Hidden Jesus” in the
Tabernacle over all else. His
great concern was to console
His sorrowing Lord and the
Heart of His Mother. When
asked what he wanted to be
when he grew up, Francisco
answered, "I don't want to be anything. I want
to die and
go to
heaven."
In October 13, 1917, the Infant Jesus appeared in the
arms of St. Joseph to bless the world. In 1925,
on December 10th, the Child Jesus appeared to St. Lucia
announcing His desire for the Communions of reparation
on the First Saturdays in order to make reparation to
the Immaculate Heart of Mary. At a time of moral
and economic crisis in the world, we need to remind
ourselves that the Infant Jesus (and St. Joseph!) are
associated with Divine Providence and trust in God. Over
the years, the Infant Jesus has provided for my needs
not only spiritually, but materially as well. St. Teresa
of Avila had a great devotion to the Infant Jesus and
St. Joseph who provided for all the needs of the
Carmelite order. We pray for all those in need of
conversion (moral crisis), and in need of jobs and
material aid (economic crisis), realizing that God is
the Source of all gifts in the order of nature and
grace. The Infant Jesus of Prague promised Fr. Cyril:
“The more you honor Me, the more I will bless you!” This
is true! I have experienced it in my life, and you will
experience it in yours.
†God’s blessing,
Fr. John
Fast and Pray for the
End Abortion.
Some of us pray and fast for souls of others. Here are
some quotes from Mother Nadine that apply fasting!“ We
have to be careful that we stay out of the spirit of the
world. We live in a world that puts a great deal of
emphasis on food. The world uses the term “diet”’ the
Church uses the term “fasting.” Both have a discipline,
but the motives are quite different as a rule. Dieting
is usually for myself, while fasting is for God. Our
motives make all the difference in the world.
…..fasting is good for us and it has the power to
release Satan and any ties he may have on us. “
“This kind does not leave but by prayer and
fasting” (Mk 9:29).
“There is a correct way to fast. If you want
to fast correctly, you have to eat correctly so that you
will have the energies to fast. Try fasting from wrong
foods. A discipline will come that was not there before
and you will feel great. We need to cultivate our
spiritual hunger and thirst if we do not have it. Jesus
told us to labor not for food that perishes, but for
food that remains (John 6:27). It is like Jesus is
saying to us, “ I will feed you with Myself, not only at
Mass, not only in the Eucharist, but I’ll feed you every
day in prayer and we’ll cast out gluttony. “
Jesus said, when tempted by the serpent to turn the
stones to bread, “Doing the will of Him who sent Me
and bringing His work to completion is My food”
(John 4:34)
Mother Nadine in her book about the Seven
Capital Sins
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The real history of Mary
Undoer of Knots.
How
this
devotion
started? To
show us
the
mission
granted
to the
Virgin
Mary by
Her Son,
an
unknown
artist
painted
Mary
Undoer
of Knots
with
great
grace.
Since
1700,
his
painting
has been
venerated
in the
Church
of St.
Peter in
Perlack,
Germany.
It was
originally
inspired
by a
meditation
of Saint
Irenaeus
(Bishop
of Lyon
and
martyred
in 202)
based on
the
parallel
made by
Saint
Paul
between
Adam and
Christ.
Saint
Irenaeus,
in turn,
made a
comparison
between
Eve and
Mary,
saying:
"Eve,
by her
disobedience,
tied the
knot of
disgrace
for the
human
race;
whereas
Mary, by
her
obedience,
undid
it".
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But what are
these knots?
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They are the problems and struggles we face for which we do not see any solution.
Knots of discord in your family, lack of understanding between parents and children, disrespect, violence, the knots of deep hurts between
husband and wife, the absence of peace and joy at home. They are also the knots of anguish and despair of separated couples, the dissolution
of the family, the knots of a drug addict son or daughter, sick or separated from home or God, knots of alcoholism, the practice of abortion,
depression, unemployment, fear, solitude…Ah, the knots of our life! How they suffocate the soul, beat us down and betray the heart’s joy and
separate us from God.
The devotion to Mary Undoer of Knots is not new. The devotion is more than 300 years old. However, it is not based on an apparition of the
Virgin Mary to a person, or persons, as in Lourdes or Fatima, but rather it is a revered devotion as many others in the Catholic Church, despite
Virgin Mary is only one.
The devotion to Mary Undoer of Knots is becoming more and more known in many different countries, and the Novena has been printed
in 19 languages, as well as in Braille. In the last 4 years, the Sanctuary of Mary Undoer of Knots has welcomed more than 600,000 pilgrims
from all over the world.
At Mass, there is a multitude of people: the young, the elderly, rich and poor, all asking for help from Our Lady to simplify their lives.
Day after day, more and more Christians kneel to pray to Her as soon as they meet the Mother of the Fair Love.
Many families have become reconciled! Many diseases have been healed! Many spouses have returned to the Church! Many
jobs have been given! Many conversions have taken place! Many Catholics have been on their knees praying and giving
thanks for graces received from our sweet Mother.
We are living in difficult times where the problems, the knots, the temptations, the lack of peace and the evils are all around us.
Like a roaring lion your adversary, the devil, prowls around, looking for someone to devour.
(1 Peter 5,8)
For that reason, Mary Who undoes the knots, Who was chosen by God to crush the evil with Her feet, comes to us to reveal Herself. She comes to provide jobs, good health, to reconcile families, because She wants to undo the knots of our sins which dominate our lives, so that - as sons of the King - we can receive the promises reserved for us from eternity. She comes
with promises of victory, peace, blessings and reconciliation.
Then, free from our knots – filled with happiness, we can be a testimony of the Divine Power in this world, like pieces of God’s heart or
small bottles of perfume exhaling mercy and love to our neighbor. Like ambassador of Jesus Christ and the Virgin of the fair love, we can rescue
those who cry without any consolation, those who are lonely, tied with knots, who have no God, no Father nor Mother.
Mother of the Rising Sun, Immaculate, our Advocate, Helper in moments of affliction, Mother of God and made by Him our Mother, this is how
Mary, Undoer of Knots is presented. Above all, She comes as the Queen of Mercy, the one who knows all about us, who has compassion for us
and hurries to rescue us, praying for each one of us to Her beloved Jesus.
Is it possible that the Lord does not answer Her?
May Mary Undoer of Knots bless you today and forever. Amen!
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Novena is known around the world…..and can change your life.Why a Novena? Why nine days?
Mary stayed during nine days surrounded by the apostles in the cenacle, praying for the presence of the Holy Spirit.
In this persevering type prayer, She taught us the constancy and ardour of faith, so that we do not get discouraged when direct a petition to God. The Mother of God prayed and gave courage to the apostles to pray for the duration of nine days, in order to receive the most important and precious treasure for human life - The Holy Spirit.
We need to learn to persevere because it is written in Ecclesiasticus 2,15-16, "Woe to them that are fainthearted, who believe not God; Woe to them that have lost patience" and James says, "But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord."
( James 1,6-8).
Prayer is man’s strenght which shakes the heart of God because “nothing is more powerful than a man who prays” (St. John Chrisostomus) for they are participating in God’s power.
James tells us again, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly” (James 4,3) and St. Basil says, “If you have asked and did not receive, is because you have asked wrongly, with no faith or superficially or you asked something you did not need or because you have abandoned the prayer.”
“All graces we desire need to be asked through Mary, She provides everything we need” (St. Alphonsus Ligori). “All gifts, virtues and graces are dispensed by Her hands to whom She wants, when She wants and how She wants” (St. Bernardin of Siena).
To order Novena - go to http://www.maryundoerofknots.com/novena.htm
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My prayer is that you and your family
will be blessed with all the graces and blessings you wish
for thru Our Blessed Mother. One of my New Year resolutions
is to continue to keep each of you in my prayers and daily
rosary.
Father John
Thank you Fr. John for all the Masses that you say and
for keeping us on the path of the Holy Spirit!
We are
praying to the Sacred Heart of Jesus & Immaculate Heart
of Mary for you!
Pray the Rosary · Wear the Scapular
“Come... Sit With Me”
Jesus would like you to visit Him in reparation
for the outrages against His Sacred Heart and the
Immaculate Heart of Mary!
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