Liturgical Seasons
Welcome to the season of Ordinary Time!
Because of God’s great love He gives us the Sacraments of Mercy, the Eucharist and Reconciliation, which give us grace and spiritual food on our journey. Thus, living the fullness of the message calls us to lead a sacramental life. He asks us to humble ourselves and come the His representative and confess our sins and try to sin no more. In the Eucharist, we receive the Bread of Life, the Body, Blood, Soul an Divinity of Jesus Christ.
”For my flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” (John 6:55-56)
Because we are of little faith, the Lord has manifested Eucharistic miracles over the years to confirm His presence in the Eucharist. For example, nearly 1300 years ago during Mass at the Consecration, the Host actually turned to flesh and the wine to blood! Many more miracles have occurred during the ages and are still taking place today. “I have been to Lanciano and also several other places on pilgrimage where Eucharistic miracles have occurred...what a gift to behold!)
While the devotional aspect of what the Lord told St. Faustina is important, the encompassing message of mercy calls for a turning over of control of our lives to God and trusting in His mercy. We are to be vessels of mercy; always radiating love and mercy to others. The message of mercy is nothing new, just a reminder of what the Church has always taught--that God is merciful and forgiving and we too must do the same in our interaction with others. “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)
The message and devotion to Jesus as The Divine Mercy is based on the writings of Blessed Faustina Kowalska, an uneducated Polish nun who, in obedience to her spiritual director, wrote a diary of about 600 pages recording the revelations she received about God’s mercy. The message of mercy is that God loves us...all of us...no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy, and let it flow through us to others. It is a message as simple as ABC.
A. Ask for his Mercy
God wants us to approach Him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins and asking Him to pour His mercy out upon us and the whole world.
B. Be Merciful
God wants us to receive His mercy and let it flow through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as He does to us.
C. completely trust in Jesus
God wants us to know that the graces of His mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we will receive. (For more information, regarding The Divine Jesus of Mercy, the novena or books, just call (231) 347-6279)
"Pious Pratices for Lent"
Do not think for a moment these practices are a thing of the past! Jesus Christ
and his Church are for Yesterday..Today..and Forever!
Remember dear children of God, there are many wolves in sheep clothing today who
are leading you straight to Hell!
Please ask your Merciful God to enlighten you, through the gift of GRACE, to see
all that you need to see, to know all that he desires for you to know
and to be all that he created you to be....to get to the Kingdom of Heaven!
God gave you a free will...please use those brains He gave you, to get yourself there!
The Choice is yours to make....is it Heaven or is it Hell, for they both are real!
NOW for the Teaching.
Every Lent, Holy Mother The Church advocates certain pious practices that
Her children should perform to satisfy their requirements to do penance, to pray
to perform good works, to make reparation for their sins and to further the apostolic
work of the Church.
Our Lord tells us, as recorded in Scripture. "Unless you shall do penance, you shall
all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3) And St John the Baptist announced
the coming of the Savior with the ominous admonition.
"Do Penance: For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:2)
With Regard to Prayer, St Paul tells us to "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thess. 5:17)
And our Lord advises us. "Amen, Amen I say to you: If you ask the Father anything
in My name, He will give it to you." (John 16:23)
Also he said, "If you abide in Me (i.e., "Life in Me" or "Stay in the state of Grace")
and My words abide ("Live") in you, you shall ask whatever you will
and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7). Further, Our Lord has said
"Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you will be accounted worthy
to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the Son of Man.
(Luke 21:36)
And in the Book of Judith we read, "Know ye that the Lord will hear your prayers
If you continue with perseverance in fastings and prayers in the sight of the Lord"
(Judith 4:11)
Our Obligation to do apostolic work, no matter who we are, is seen in the general
admonition of St John the Baptist"....make straight the way of the Lord..."(Jn 1:23; Is 40:3).
The Church is used to this counsel in her Advent liturgy, so we know it applies to
all-at least to the extent that all must pray and do penance for the success
of the Church's missionary activity
Help support it financially, and wherever possible take an active part in the
conversion or reconversion of those we know.
The Primary purpose of Lent, of course, is to help us become truly Holy!
And we should work toward this goal during Lent, by extra prayer, Penance, good works
almsgiving, attendance at Mass, and reception of the Sacraments. (The Chief sources of Grace).
Specific Practices from which to choose
1-Abstinence:: This is the giving up of something we like to eat, drink
Smoke, use, ect.
(All Catholics 14 and over are currently required to abstain from Meat on
Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent.)
2-Fasting: This is still required by the Church, all of those 21-59
on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, but it is something which most people can do
every day during Lent, (Except Sunday which was never a day for fasting).
The Catholic Church's Traditional method of fasting is to take only one full
meal per day, at which meat may be eaten.
(unless it is also a day of abstinence), plus 2 small meals that together do not
equal the main meal and at which no meat is eaten, with nothing eaten in between meals.
3-T.V.: We can drastically limit our T.V. viewing, give up favorite
programs or eliminate it altogehter.
4-Prayer:* The Daily Rosary
*The First Saturday devotion, requested by Our Lady at Fatima
*An extra Mass or more each week- the greatest prayer there is
*A Holy hour once or more a week
*Pray for those in Purgatory. A Rosary before the blessed Sacrament after Mass
is extremely efficacious for the poor Souls and can lead to the gaining of a plenary
indulgence for this being fulfilled.
*Pray for those who are in danger of dying without being in a state of Sanctifying Grace.
*Pray for anyone you may have had the misfortune to lead into sin.
*Pray for an end to abortion.
*Pray for Peace in the World
5-Go To Confession: Once a week, or at least once a month
6-Examine you conscience: Every Night, review the day and what you did
and didn't do that might have displeased God. Then keep this in mind for your
next Confession
7-Do Penance: Our Lord has made it perfectly clear that Penance is
necessary for salvation.
8-Perform Good Works:
*Visit the sick, or people in nursing homes once a week
*Counsel or pray at abortion clinics
9-Give Alms.:
*Increase your donation to the Church
*Support Good Catholic Schools
*Support Crisis Pregnancy Centers.
* Help those who are poor
10-Do Apostolic Work:
*Take someone to Mass/Confession with you
*Invite someone to become a Catholic. Get him/her to a priest for instruction
11-Engage in Spiritual reading
12- Consecrate your life to God One of the Church's greatest classic books
on this topic is St Louis De Monfort's Book "True Devotion to Mary"
Remember:
Lent is a Holy Season set aside by the Church, during which we are recommended
to do extra prayer, Penance, Sacrifice, Good works, and almsgiving. Plus to
frequent the Sacraments and attend Mass more often all for the welfare of our Souls
And We should all keep before our minds that many a pious practice begun during
Lent had become a lifelong virtuous habit, that has thereby helped
to perfect those who have made a mere "humble Beginning" During Lent.
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