Catholic Prayers And Practices...

Christ is doing something extra ordinary and great here! He has brought us together, you and I--- for this exact time, as a shepherd gather's HIS sheep into HIS fold, we are all gathered right now, within, HIS most Holy name. Why? Why now? Why these prayers? It is simple. We are to become God's children now, following in HIS truth and in HIS ways. Spiritually guided through the Holy Spirit, we study, pray, reflect, write, meditate, and we are then drawn ever closer through the truth, through the gospel readings, where a much needed great conversion takes form in us, in order for us to live a life that is truly worthy of our Lord. His company becomes important for us as Catholic's, and our prayer life continues to maximize deeply within us, along with the desire to grow every single day in faith, love, hope, and in charity, of God. What makes this an important work for God? Our decision in saying Yes, because our very souls salvation depends upon how we choose to live out our earthly life that will in turn lead us properly toward our eternal destiny, which is heaven. We are learning, how to be watchful and patient in God and when such an invitation comes to us, sometimes it may take some of us, an entire lifetime, to respond YES, to his call. Lord God, in You we live and move and are, and have our being. Help us in our present time of trouble, send us the rain we need, and teach us to see Your lasting help on the way to eternal life. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever, Amen. In the book "Divine Mercy In My Soul" Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska writes To Mary... O Mary, my Mother and My Lady, I offer you my soul, my body, my life, and my death, and all that will follow it. I place everything in your hands. O my Mother, cover my soul with your virginal mantle and grant me the grace of purity of heart, soul and body. Defend me with your power against all enemies, and especially against those who hide their malice behind the mask of virtue. O lovely lily! You are for me a mirror, O my Mother! The Tau Cross... Saint Francis of Assissi was always attracted to the depiction of the crucified Christ. They reminded him of how Jesus had won our salvation. When Francis was in his early twenties, God speaking through Jesus on the San Damiano cross, called him to a special way of life. Always attentive to scripture, Francis noted that Ezekiel 9:4 speaks of the cross like Hebrew letter Tau marked on the foreheads of believers as a sign of divine rescue. "Go through the whole city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the forehead of everyone who is distressed and troubled because of all the disgusting things being done in the city." And I heard God say...."Follow him through the city and kill. Spare no one, have mercy on no one." The symbol occures again in the Book of revelation 7:3 the angel said, "Do not harm the earth, the sea or the, trees until we mark the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads." Francis adopted the sign as a kind of personal logo. HE saw it in the design of his simple tunic; he made it part of his signature on letters; he traced it on walls when he stopped to rest and pray. This year marks the 800th Anniversary of Saint Francis of Assisi. One of the most delightful books ever written, titled "The Little Flowers of St. Francis" by Donald E. Demaray states that all who meet Francis in these pages experience the gentle and generous heart of Saint Francis who inspires peace and joy. Brother Simon and the Severely Tempted Friar: Toward the beginning of the Order - when Francis was still alive - a young fellow from Assisi, Brother Simon by name, joined the friars. God gave him special gifts: Contemplation, A devoutly elevated mind, Unusual holiness (he seemed a mirror of sanctity)-all this confirmed by those who know him a long time. He rarely left his cell and, when he did, he talked about God. He had no formal schooling, yet when he talked about God he spoke in great depth and revealed the love of Christ; --his words struck others a supernatural. Once he stayed in the forest with Brother James of Massa the whole night. They talked about God and about God's love, and by morning (according to James) the two men wondered where the time had gone. When Brother Simon sensed a divine visitation coming, he experienced delicious peace and joy in the Spirit. He would lie on his bed in perfect serenity, for the Spirit brought tranquil joy and peace to his soul, and also calmness to his body. In those visitations, God often elevated Simon's spirit so that he became insensible to everything around him. Once, while lost in God and dead to the world, he flamed inside with love, totally unaware of his body. A friar, wanting to test the depth of Simon's unconsciousness, put a live coal on his bare foot. Brother Simon felt nothing, nor did the coal leave a mark, even though it stayed there so long that it burned itself out. At meals, Brother Simon ate food for his body but also took food for his soul, the latter by talking of God. Simon's holy conversation God used once to convert a worldly young man; vain enough, he came from nobility and lived in luxury. the youth, after conversion, joined the Order. Brother Simon received the fellow, took his secular clothes, gave him the habit, and sat with him to instruct him in the Rule. Well! the devil likes to ruin all good intentions, and the new friar soon found himself plagued by terrible temptations, especially those of the flesh. The poor fellow became completely helpless. So he went to Brother Simon:"Give me back my clothes; I can resist these physical temptations no longer." Brother Simon, in a great outpouring of love, asked the young man to sit with him a while, Simon talked of God with such power the temptation left. Later, the temptation returned; the fellow insisted on his clothes again; Once more Brother Simon drove away the temptation by talking of God. This happened several times; then the temptation came more forcefully than ever. the poor fellow stood utterly paralyzed. He went to Simon for his clothes; he simply could not stay. Brother Simon had him sit beside him as before; He talked to him about God; the youth leaned on Simon in terrible sadness and despair. Brother Simon's pity made him lift his eyes to heaven to pray very intensely. Well! That young man became ecstatic when Brother Simon's prayer was granted by God. Presently the youthful friar returned to himself, all temptations gone --- just as if it had never come! the fire of temptation was translated into the fire of God's Spirit by contact with that glowing coal, Brother Simon. So the young man burned with God's love and love for others. His transformation proved so great that when a bad person got arrested and authorities said his eyes had to be put out, the compassionate friar went to the Governor and the full Council, wept and pleaded, asking that only one eye be put out, and that the friar give one of his own eyes so the criminal would not go totally blind. the Governor and Council touched by this fervor and love, gave the criminal a full pardon. One day Brother Simon, praying in the forest and feeling deep peace of soul, heard some rooks caw so loudly they disturbed him. He asked them, in Jesus' name, to fly away and stay away. The birds went, never to return, not even to the neighboring districts. Everyone in the province of Femo (where the friary was located) heard about this miracle. In praise of the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.