(This is a Mother’s Prayer to the Guardian Angels of her children)
I humbly salute you,
O you faithful,
heavenly Friends of my children!
I give you heartfelt thanks
for all the love and goodness you show them.
At some future day I shall,
with thanks more worthy than I can now give,
repay your care for them,
and before the whole heavenly court
acknowledge their indebtedness to your guidance and protection.
Continue to watch over them.
Provide for all their …
This week we have occasion to think of the end of time. Immediately, Jesus’ words in the Gospels are referring to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. Think of the phrase, “this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place” from Luke 21:32, read two days from now. While the destruction of the Temple is the historical context of these Gospel readings, the saints have also interpreted these words as prophetic, speaking of the end of time.
We are reminded to be vigilant and rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit. This theme of readiness will continue throughout Advent. Christ is coming in the flesh, and we must do penance and prepare our hearts to receive Him joyfully. He is also coming at the end of time to judge the world, and we ought to be ready to be judged.
These themes in our Gospels this week (persecution, conflict, readiness) also remind us of the conflict we can expect well before the end comes. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s enemies will be those of his household.” (Matt. 10:34–36). “You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved” (Matt. 10:22). “Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:20).
Following Christ is not supposed to be easy (although we are promised comfort in our afflictions many times). Often, readings like these make us wonder if we’re really living up to God’s call. If we were, surely we’d be more afflicted, specifically for our faith. Or at least we’d experience more struggles in general.
Our First Reading reminds us that often, more is expected of us. King Belshazzar was not only idolatrous; he was sacrilegious. He mistreated the sacred vessels of the Lord. How often do we think about things like that? Reverencing the sacred — sacred vessels, a sacred space in the home, sacred time (the liturgical year). All have a place in the Christian life.
While we may not be constantly afflicted for following Christ, it should give us pause if we do not occasionally experience the conflict He mentions. Are we really letting the Faith permeate our lives? There are a number of cultural religious practices that have fallen out of favor in the past millennium, not to mention the basics of Christian life. Few would think it strange that you go to Mass, receive the sacraments, and pray regularly; many would think it strange if you celebrated feast days in the home, used sacramentals like holy water and blessed salt, and fasted or sacrificed regularly.
Regardless of the specifics, the fact remains that many of us ought to be doing more to let God’s Kingdom permeate our lives. It should be visible to others, so much so that those who are not prepared for it resist. We should be prepared for battle, both now and through to the end of time. Frequent, fervent Christian practices will accomplish this.
David Dashiell is a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader based in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. His writing has been featured in Crisis Magazine and The Imaginative Conservative, and his editing is done for a variety of publishers, such as Sophia Institute and Scepter. He can be reached at ddashiellwork@gmail.com.
Feature Image Credit: Exe Lobiazo, https://www.cathopic.com/photo/3648-presentacion-dones
Through the missionary efforts of various religious families beginning in the sixteenth century and continuing until 1866, the Vietnamese people heard the message of the gospel, and many accepted it despite persecution and even death. On June 19, 1988, Pope John Paul II canonized 117 persons martyred in the eighteenth century. Among these were ninety-six Vietnamese, eleven missionaries born in Spain and belonging to the Order of Preachers, and ten French missionaries belonging to the Paris …
Graciously hear us, O Lord, when we call upon You,
and grant unto our supplications a calm atmosphere,
that we, who are justly afflicted for our sins,
may, by Your protecting mercy, experience pardon.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
In today’s Psalm, we hear the phrase “praise and exalt Him above all forever.”
Our lives can get pretty busy. From work, to family, to running a household, to everything we need to do on a daily basis, we often forget to spend time with God and praise and exalt Him. And sometimes, even if we don’t intend to, we put other things above Him.
What would our lives look like if we followed the words of that Psalm every single day? We would undoubtedly feel more joy. We would feel at peace. Our relationship with Christ would be stronger. And we would grow spiritually.
So how do we implement this Psalm in our lives?
First, we must pray. Prayer is not something we should do just before bed or at Mass. In order for it to be an integral part of our lives, prayer must be something we do many times throughout the day. We wake up, and we pray. We see something beautiful, and we say a prayer of thanks. We look at our children, our spouse, or a friend, and we thank God for blessing our lives with them. We encounter something irritating or bothersome, and we say a prayer thanking God for being there with us. We suffer, and we offer it up for others, giving praise to God even during the difficult times. When we make praising God a regular part of our day—even for just a few minutes here and there—we will see our attitude change. We will feel happier. And, in turn, we will act happier.
Next, we must continually learn about our faith. We can listen to Catholic podcasts, read books, study Scripture, go to Bible study classes, or watch religious programming. No matter which combination of these we do, our lives will become richer, we will feel closer to God, and our relationship with Him will be strengthened.
In addition, we must surround ourselves with people who exude the joy of Christ. And we must strive to be more like them. Maybe this is a friend, a parent, or a grandparent. Choose someone you want to emulate, and then examine how they act and what they do. Then follow in their footsteps. For me, this is my mom. She has a quiet joy about her—a peace. She proudly stands up for what she believes in, she never stops learning, and she is one of the kindest people I know. Choosing one special person to emulate will make your life richer and will help you focus on praising God more frequently.
God wants to be close to us. He loves us more than we can ever know. That is why we must put Him first—always and everywhere.
When we surround ourselves with holy people, when we pray, and when we continually learn about our faith, we can’t help but glorify God in all we do.
Susan Ciancio has a BA in psychology and a BA in sociology from the University of Notre Dame, with an MA in liberal studies from Indiana University. For the past 17 years, she has worked as a professional editor and writer, editing both fiction and nonfiction books, magazine articles, blogs, educational lessons, professional materials and website content. Eleven of those years have been in the pro-life sector. Currently Susan freelances and writes weekly for HLI, edits for American Life League, and is the editor of Celebrate Life Magazine. She also serves as executive editor for the Culture of Life Studies Program-an educational nonprofit program for K-12 students.
Feature Image Credit: Jornada Mundial de la Juventud, https://www.cathopic.com/photo/13057-rosario-mano
Born on January 13, 1891 in Guadalupe, Mexico, Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez was the eldest son of Miguel Pro and Josefa Juarez. Miguelito, as his doting family called him, was, from an early age, intensely spiritual and equally intense in hi mischievousness, frequently exasperating his family with his humor and practical jokes. As a child, he had a daring precociouness that sometimes went too far, tossing him into near-death accidents and illnesses. On regaining consciousness after one of …
Lord Jesus, I lovingly pray for this sweet hope
that I keep within my womb.
You have granted me the immense gift
of a tiny little life,
living in my own life,
and I humbly thank you for choosing me
as an instrument of your love.
In this sweet waiting,
help me to live in a constant attitude
of self-surrender to your will.
Grant me a motherly heart that is pure,
steadfast and generous.
I hand over to you my own concerns;
any anxious fears that may come, …
The Gospel today has the second account of the widow and her two small coins. I find this quite fitting on the Monday before Thanksgiving.
The widow’s offering is the definition of altruism. She gives not from her extra or surplus cash on hand, but from all that she has to give. Her offering is from ‘her whole livelihood’ as Jesus notices. Her coins are donated to help others even if it means she may have to do without.
Altruism is, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary: “feelings and behavior that show a desire to help other people and a lack of selfishness’ or ‘an unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others.”
Donating or giving for the benefit of others has been part of my understanding of Thanksgiving for most of my life. This year in particular I keep thinking of all who have sacrificed and worked so diligently during the Covid pandemic.
I think of the staff and medical professionals who have been working on so many different levels during this pandemic. I think of all the families separated because of care and safety of the health of others with whom they come in contact.
I think of the clergy and parish staff who have been comforting those who experience hardship, grief and loss.
I think of the staff at the grocery stores and restaurants, in pantries and shelters, in the food chains and networks that assist as many as they can over these several months.
I think of the educators and staff keeping schools, colleges, daycare, universities and the many institutions going for all different types of learning situations.
I think of all the first responders who continue to assist others in all kinds of situations, dangerous and routine (which is never routine when it’s you or your loved one involved in a specific situation).
I think of each who works keeping the electricity, gas, power, water, sanitation and transportation going for the millions in our country who depend on these services.
I think of the military men and women who serve our country in ways too numerous to count.
I think of everyone in all the above situations, the many gifts and talents that are given during each and every day. What tremendous blessings by people that are usually not adequately appreciated or recognized for their labor. It is truly remarkable and humbling to think of all the sacrifices made during this last year.
Thank you and may God bless you and your loved ones.
Beth Price is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She is a Secular Franciscan (OFS) and a practicing spiritual director. Beth shares smiles, prayers, laughter, a listening ear and her heart with all of creation. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.
Feature Image Credit: National Cancer Institute, https://unsplash.com/photos/BxXgTQEw1M4
In the fourth century a Greek religious romance on the Loves of Cecilia and Valerian was written in glorification of virginal life with the purpose of taking the place of then-popular sensual romances.
Consequently, until better evidence is produced, we must conclude that St. Cecilia was not known or venerated in Rome until about the time when Pope Gelasius (496) introduced her name into his Sacramentary.
It is said that there was a church dedicated to St. Cecilia in Rome in the fifth century, …
O most holy angel of God, appointed by God to be my guardian, I give you thanks for all the benefits which you have ever bestowed on me in body and in soul. I praise and glorify you that you condescended to assist me with such patient fidelity, and to defend me against all the assaults of my enemies. Blessed be the hour in which you were assigned me for my guardian, my defender and my patron. In acknowledgement and return for all your loving ministries to me, I offer you the infinitely precious …