Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Saturday, 22 January 2022
Tuesday, 30 March 2021
Thursday, 1 February 2018
Presentation of the Lord - Feast Day February 2nd
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| Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple |
Let
us Receive the Light
Whose Brilliance is Eternal
From a sermon by Saint Sophronius, bishop
In Honor of the Divine Mystery that we celebrate today, let
us all hasten to meet Christ. Everyone
should be eager to join the procession and to carry a light.
Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendor of the
one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe
radiant with the brilliance of His Eternal Light. Our candles also show how bright our souls
should be when we go to meet Christ.
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| Presentation of Our Lord, Mary & Joseph, Simeon |
The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true
light in her arms and brought Him to those who lay in darkness. We too should carry a light for all to see
and reflect the radiance of the True Light as we hasten to meet Him.
The Light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in
shadows; the Dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who
lived in darkness. This, then, is our
feast, and we join in procession with Lighted candles to reveal the Light that
has shoe upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through Him. So let us hasten all together to meet our
God.
The True Light has come, the
Light that enlightened every man who is born in this world. Let all of us, my brethren, be enlightened
and made radiant by this light. Let all
of us share in its splendor, and be so filled with it that no one remains in
the darkness. Let us be shining
ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon the
Light whose brilliance is eternal.
Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the
Father of the Light, who sent the True Light to dispel the darkness and to give
us all a share in His splendor.
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| Simeon Blessed God for Allowing him to see the Messiah |
Through Simeon’s eyes we too have seen the salvation of God
which He prepared for all the nations and revealed as the glory of the new
Israel, which is ourselves. As Simeon
was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so we too
were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness.
By faith we too embraced Christ, the salvation of God the
Father, as He came to us from Bethlehem.
Gentiles before, we have now become the people of God. Our eyes have seen God Incarnate, and because
we have seen Him present among us and have mentally received Him into our arms,
we are called to new Israel. Never shall
we forget this presence; every year we keep a feast in its honor.
In Persecution Hold High the Cross!
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| Christ Crucified |
Even
in Time of Persecution
Let the Cross
be Your Joy
From the Catecheses by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop
The Catholic Church glories n every deed of Christ. Her supreme glory, however, is the
cross. Well aware of this, Paul says: God forbid that I glory in anything but the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!
At Siloam, there was a sense of wonder, and rightly so. A man born blind recovered his sight. But of what importance is this, when there
are so many blind people in the world? Lazarus
rose from the dead, but even this only affected Lazarus. What of those countless numbers who have died
because of their sins? Those five
miraculous loaves fed five thousand people.
Yet this is a small number compared to those all over the world who were
starved by ignorance. After eighteen
years a woman was freed from the bondage of Satan. But are we not all shackled by the chains of
our own sins?
For us all, however, the cross is the crown of victory! It has brought light to those blinded by
ignorance. It has released those
enslaved by sin. Indeed, it has redeemed
the whole of mankind!
Do not, then, be ashamed of the cross of Christ; rather,
glory in it. Although it is a stumbling
block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles, the message of the cross is our
salvation. Of course it is folly to
those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of
God. For it was not a mere man who died
for us, but he Son of God, God made man.
In the Mosaic law a sacrificial lamb banished the
destroyer. But now it is the Lamb of God who takes
away the sin of the world. Will he
not free us from our sins even more? The
blood of an animal, a sheep, brought salvation.
Will not the blood of the only-begotten Son bring us greater salvation?
He was not killed by violence,
he was not forced to give up
his life.
His was a willing
sacrifice.
Listen to his worn words: I have the power to lay down my life and to
take it up again. Yes, he willingly submitted to his own passion. He took joy in his achievement; in his crown
of victory he was glad and in the salvation of man he rejoiced.
He did not blush at the cross
for by it he was to save the world.
No, it was not a
lowly man
who suffered but God incarnate.
He entered the contest for the reward he would win by his patient endurance.
Certainly in times of tranquillity the cross should give you
joy. But maintain the same faith in
times of persecution. Otherwise you will
be a friend of Jesus in times of peace and his enemy during war. Now you received the forgiveness of your sins
and the generous gift of grace from our king.
When war comes, fight courageously for him.
Jesus never sinned; yet he was crucified for you. Will you refuse to be crucified for him, who
for your sake was nailed to the cross?
You are not the one who gives the favor; you have received one
first.
For your sake
he was crucified on
Golgotha.
Now you are returning his
favor;
you are fulfilling your debt to him.
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| Be a Knight for Christ |
Novena to the Holy Face of Jesus
NINE DAY
NOVENA IN HONOR OF
THE MOST
HOLY FACE OF JESUS
This novena prayer may be said at any time, but especially
in the nine days leading up to the Feast of the Holy Face on Shrove Tuesday -
i.e. starting two Sundays before the start of Lent.
"All those who, attracted by my love,
and venerating my countenance, shall receive, by virtue of my humanity, a
brilliant and vivid impression of my divinity. This splendor shall enlighten
the depths of their souls, so that in eternal glory the celestial court shall
marvel at the marked likeness of their features with my divine
countenance." (Our Lord Jesus Christ to St. Gertrude)
DAILY
PREPARATORY PRAYER
O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the
intercession of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword of sorrow
at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we ask Thy help in making a
perfect Novena of reparation with Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love, and
total abandonment.
We now implore all the Angels and Saints to
intercede for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face of Jesus and
for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
(Start novena)
DAY ONE
-- CONSOLE THE HOLY FACE
Recite the Daily Preparatory Prayer then…
Psalm 51,
3-4.
Have
mercy on me, O God in Thy goodness, in Thy great tenderness wipe away my
faults; wash me clean of my guilt, purify me from my sin.
O most Holy Face of Jesus, look with
tenderness on us who are sinners. Thou art a merciful God, full of love and
compassion. Keep us pure of heart, so that we may see Thee always. Mary, our
Mother, intercede for us; Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Through the merits of Thy precious blood and
Thy Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition; Pardon and Mercy.
Prayer to
Our Almighty Father
Almighty Father, come into our hearts, and so
fill us with Thy love that forsaking all evil desires, we may embrace Thee, our
only good. Show us, O Lord our God, what Thou art to us. Say to our souls, I am
Thy salvation, speak so that we may hear. Our hearts are before Thee; open our
ears; let us hasten after Thy voice. Hide not Thy Face from us; we beseech
Thee, O Lord. Open our hearts so that Thou mayst enter in. Repair the ruined
mansions that Thou mayst dwell therein. Hear us, O Heavenly Father, for the
sake of Thy only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with Thee and
the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (St. Augustine)
*Our Father, Hail Mary (3x), Glory Be.
*O
Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine. (3x)
DAY TWO -- CONSOLE THE HOLY FACE
Recite the Daily Preparatory Prayer
then…
Psalm 51,
5-6a.
My offenses truly I know them; My sin is
always before me. Against Thee, Thee alone, have I sinned; what is evil in Thy
sight I have done.
Prayer
Most Holy Face of Jesus, we are truly sorry
that we have hurt Thee so much by constantly doing what is wrong; and for all
the good works we have failed to do. Immaculate Heart of Mary; Saint Joseph,
intercede for us, help us to console the Most Holy Face of Jesus. Pray that we
may share in the tremendous love Thou hast for one another and for the most
Holy and Blessed Trinity. Amen.
Through the merits of Thy precious blood and
Thy Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition; Pardon and Mercy.
Prayer to
the Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, Sanctifier, all powerful
God of love, Thou Who didst fill the Virgin Mary with grace, Thou Who didst
wonderfully transform the hearts of the Apostles, Thou Who didst endow all Thy
martyrs with a miraculous heroism, come and sanctify us; illumine our minds,
strengthen our wills, purify our consciences, rectify our judgments, set our
hearts on fire and preserve us from the misfortune of resisting Thine
inspirations. We consecrate to Thee our understanding, our heart and our will,
our whole being for time and for eternity. May our understanding be always
submissive to Thy heavenly inspirations and to the teachings of Thy Holy
Catholic Church, of which Thou art the infallible guide; may our heart be ever
inflamed with love of God and neighbor; may our will be ever conformed to the
divine will, and may our whole life be a faithful imitation of the life and
virtues of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and Thee
be honor and glory forever. Amen.
*Our Father, Hail Mary (3x), Glory Be.
*O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every
adoration Thine. (3x)
DAY THREE -- CONSOLE THE HOLY FACE
recite the Daily Preparatory Prayer
then…
Psalm 51,
6b-7. Thou art just when Thou dost pass sentence on
me, blameless when Thou givest judgment. Thou knowest I was born guilty, a
sinner from the moment of conception.
Prayer of
Pope Pius IX
O Jesus! Cast upon us a look of mercy; turn
Thy Face towards each of us as Thou didst to Veronica; not that we may see it
with our bodily eyes, for this we do not deserve, but turn it towards our
hearts, so that, remembering Thee, we may ever draw from this fountain of
strength the vigor necessary to sustain the combats of life. Amen. Mary, Our
Mother, and Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Through the merits of Thy precious blood and
Thy Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition; Pardon and Mercy.
Prayer of
Saint Francis
All highest, glorious God, cast Thy light
into the darkness of our hearts, give us true faith, firm hope, perfect charity
and profound humility, so that with wisdom, courage and perception, O Lord, we
may do what is truly Thy holy will. Amen.
Prayer to
the Angels and Saints
We salute Thy, through the Holy Face and
Sacred Heart of Jesus, O all ye Holy Angels and Saints of God. We rejoice in
Thy glory, and we give thanks to Our Lord for all the benefits which He has
showered upon ye; we praise Him and glorify Him, and offer ye, for an increase
of Thy joy and honor, the most Holy Face and gentle Heart of Jesus. Pray that
we may become formed according to the heart of God. Amen.
*Our Father, Hail Mary (3x), Glory Be.
*O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every
adoration Thine. (3x)
DAY FOUR -- CONSOLE THE HOLY FACE
Recite the Daily Preparatory Prayer
then…
Psalm 51,
8-9.
Indeed, Thou dost love truth in
the heart; then in the secret of my heart teach me Wisdom. O purify me, then I
shall be clean; O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.
Prayer
O Lord Jesus, Who has said, learn of me for I
am meek and humble of heart, and Who did manifest upon Thy Holy Face the
sentiments of Thy divine heart, grant that we may love to come frequently and
meditate upon Thy divine features. We may read there Thy gentleness and Thy
humility, and learn how to form our hearts in the practice of these two virtues
which Thou desirest to see shine in Thy servants. Mary our Mother and Saint
Joseph help us.
Through the merits of Thy precious blood and
Thy Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition; Pardon and Mercy.
Prayer in
Honor of the Dolors of the Blessed Virgin
O Most Holy and afflicted Virgin, Queen of
Martyrs! Who stood beneath the cross, witnessing the agony of thy dying Son,
look down with a mother’s tenderness and pity on us as we kneel before thee to
venerate thy Dolors, and place our requests, with filial confidence, in the
sanctuary of thy wounded heart. Present them on our behalf to Jesus, through
the merits of His most sacred Passion and Death, together with thy sufferings
at the foot of the cross, and, through the united efficacy of both, obtain the
favor which we humbly ask. To whom shall we go in our wants and miseries if not
to thee? O Mother of Mercy, who having so deeply drunk of the chalice of thy
Son, graciously alleviate the sufferings of those who still sigh in this land
of exile. Amen.
Prayer to
the Souls in Purgatory
My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in
Thine agony in the garden, in Thine scourging and crowning with thorns, in the
way to Calvary, in Thine crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in
Purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken. Deliver them from
the dire torments they endure. Call them and admit them to Thy most sweet
embrace in Paradise. Amen.
*Our Father, Hail Mary (3x), Glory Be.
*O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every
adoration Thine. (3x)
DAY FIVE -- CONSOLE THE HOLY FACE
Recite the Daily Preparatory Prayer
then…
Psalm 5 1,
10-11.
Make me hear rejoicing and gladness that the
bones Thy have crushed may revive. From my sins turn away Thy Face, and blot
out all my guilt.
Prayer
Holy Face of Jesus, Sacred Countenance of
God, how great is Thy patience with humankind, how infinite Thy forgiveness. We
are sinners, yet Thou lovest us. This gives us courage. For the glory of Thy
Holy Face and of the Blessed Trinity, hear and answer us. Mary our Mother,
intercede for us; Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Through the merits of Thy precious blood and
Thy Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition; Pardon and Mercy.
Prayer to
Saint Joseph
Dear Saint Joseph! Adopt us as thy children,
take charge of our salvation; watch over us day and night; preserve us from
occasions of sin; obtain for us purity of body and soul, and the spirit of
prayer, through thy intercession with Jesus, grant us a spirit of sacrifice, of
humility and self-denial; obtain for us a burning love for Jesus in the Blessed
Sacrament, and a sweet, tender love for Mary, our Mother.
Saint Joseph, be with us in life, be with us
in death and obtain for us a favorable judgment from Jesus, our merciful
Savior. Amen.
*Our Father, Hail Mary (3x), Glory Be.
*O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every
adoration Thine. (3x)
DAY SIX -- CONSOLE THE HOLY FACE
Recite the Daily Preparatory Prayer
then…
Psalm 51,
12-13.
A pure heart create for us, O God; put a
steadfast spirit within us. Do not cast us away from Thy presence nor deprive
us of Thy Holy Spirit.
Prayer
May our hearts be cleansed, O Lord, by the
inpouring of the Holy Spirit, and may He render them fruitful by watering them
with His heavenly dew. Mary, most chaste spouse of the Holy Spirit, intercede
for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Through the merits of Thy precious blood and Thy
Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition; Pardon and Mercy.
Prayer to
Saint Michael the Archangel
O Victorious Prince, most humble guardian of
the Church of God and of faithful souls, who with such charity and zeal took
part in so many conflicts and gained such great victories over the enemy; for
the conservation and protection of the honor and glory we all owe to God, as
well as for the promotion of our salvation, come, we pray Thee, to our
assistance, for we are continually besieged with such great perils by Thy
enemies: the flesh, the world, and the devil; and as Thou wast a leader for the
people of God through the desert, so also be our faithful leader and companion
through the desert of this world, until Thou conduct us safely into the happy
land of the living, in that blessed fatherland from which we are all exiles.
Amen.
*Our Father, Hail Mary (3x), Glory Be.
*O Bleeding
Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine. (3x)
DAY SEVEN -- CONSOLE THE HOLY FACE
Recite the Daily Preparatory Prayer
then…
Psalm 51,
14-15.
Give me again the joy of Thy help, with a
spirit of fervor sustain me; that I may teach transgressors Thy ways and
sinners may return to Thee.
Prayer
Lord Jesus! After contemplating Thy features,
disfigured by grief, after meditating upon Thy passion with compunction and
love, how can our hearts fail to be inflamed with a holy hatred of sin, which
even now outrages Thy Adorable Face! Lord, suffer us not to be content with
mere compassion, but give us grace to so closely follow Thee in this Calvary,
so that the opprobrium destined for Thee may fall on us, O Jesus, that thus we
may have a share, small though it may be, in expiation of sin. Amen.
Mary, our Mother, intercede for us. Saint
Joseph, pray for us.
Through the merits of Thy precious blood and
Thy Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition; Pardon and Mercy.
Prayer in
Honor of Mary
Hail Mary, Most Delightful Daughter of God
the Father! Hail Mary, Most Admirable Mother of God the Son! Hail Mary, Most
Chaste Spouse of God the Holy Spirit! Hail Mary, Temple and Sacrarium of the
Most Holy Trinity! Hail Mary, our mistress, our wealth, our mystic rose, Queen
of our hearts, our Mother, our life, our sweetness, and our dearest hope! We
are all thine, and all we have is thine. O Virgin blessed above all things, may
thy soul be in us to magnify the Lord; may thy spirit be in us to rejoice in
God. Place thyself, O faithful Virgin, as a seal upon our hearts, that in thee
and through thee we may be found faithful to God. Grant, most gracious Virgin,
that we may be numbered among those whom thou art pleased to love, to teach and
to guide, to favor and to protect as thy children. Grant that with the help of
thy love, we may despise all earthly consolation and cling to heavenly things,
until through the Holy Spirit, thy faithful spouse, and through thee, His
faithful spouse, Jesus Christ, thy Son, be formed within us for the glory of
the Father. Amen. (St. Louis Marie Grignon de Montfort).
*Our Father, Hail Mary (3x), Glory Be.
*O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every
adoration Thine. (3x)
DAY EIGHT -- CONSOLE THE HOLY FACE
Recite the Daily Preparatory Prayer
then…
Psalm 51,
16-17.
O rescue me, God my helper, and my tongue
shall ring out Thy goodness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare
Thy praise.
Prayer
Most merciful Face of Jesus, Who in this vale
of tears was so moved by our misfortunes to call Thyself the healer of the
sick, and the good Shepherd of the souls gone astray, allow not Satan to draw
us away from Thee, but keep us always under Thy loving protection, together
with all souls who endeavor to console Thee. Mary, our Mother, intercede for
us. Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Through the merits of Thy precious blood and
Thy Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition; Pardon and Mercy.
Prayer to
Saint Peter
O glorious Saint Peter, who, in return for
thy lively and generous faith, thy profound and sincere humility and thy
burning love, was honored by Jesus Christ with singular privileges, and in
particular, with the leadership of the other apostles and the primacy of the
whole Church, of which thou wast made the foundation stone, do thou obtain for
us the grace of a lively faith that shall not fear to profess itself openly in
its entirety and in all of its manifestations, even to the shedding of blood,
if occasion should demand it, and to the sacrifice of life itself in preference
to surrender. Obtain for us likewise a sincere loyalty to our Holy Mother the
Church. Grant that we may ever remain most closely and sincerely united to the
Holy Father, who is the heir of thy faith and of thy authority, the one true
visible head of the Catholic Church. Grant, moreover, that we may follow, in
all humility and meekness, the Church’s teaching and counsels and may be
obedient to all her precepts, in order to be able here on earth to enjoy a
peace that is sure and undisturbed, and to attain one day in heaven to
everlasting happiness. Amen.
*Our Father, Hail Mary (3x), Glory Be.
*O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every
adoration Thine. (3x)
DAY NINE-- CONSOLE THE HOLY FACE
Recite the Daily Preparatory Prayer
then…
Psalm 51,
18-21.
For in sacrifice Thou take no delight, a
burnt offering from me Thou wouldst refuse; my sacrifice a contrite spirit. A
humbled, contrite heart Thou wilt not spurn. In Thy goodness, show favor to
Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then Thou shalt be pleased with lawful
sacrifice; holocausts offered on Thy altar.
Prayer
Sacred Face of Our Lord and Our God, what
words can we do to express our gratitude? How can we speak of our joy? That
Thou hast deigned to hear us, that Thou hast chosen to answer us in our hour of
need. We say this because we know that our prayers will be granted. We know
that Thou, in Thy loving kindness, listened to our pleading hearts, and will
give, out of Thy fullness, the answer to our problems. Mary, our Mother, we
thank Thee for Thy intercession on our behalf. Saint Joseph, we thank Thee for
Thine prayers.
Through the merits of Thy precious blood and
Thy Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition; Pardon and Mercy.
Prayer to
the Holy Trinity
Most Holy Trinity, Godhead indivisible,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, our first beginning and our last end. Since Thou
hast made us after Thy own image and likeness, grant that all the thoughts of
our minds, all the words of our tongues, all the affections of our hearts, and
all our actions may be always conformed to Thy most Holy Will, so that after having
seen Thee here on earth in appearances and in a dark manner by the means of
faith, we may come at last to contemplate Thee face to face, in the perfect
possession of Thee forever in paradise. Amen.
*Our Father, Hail Mary (3x), Glory Be.
*O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every
adoration Thine. (3x)
THE GOLDEN
ARROW PRAYER
May the most holy, most sacred, most
adorable, most incomprehensible and ineffable Name of God be forever praised,
blessed, loved, adored, and glorified in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth,
by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen.
Tuesday, 4 July 2017
St. Thomas the Apostle by St. Gregory the Great
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| St. Thomas the Apostle - John 20:24-29 |
St. Thomas, Apostle Feast Day July 3rd
From the homily on the Gospels by Saint Gregory the Great, pope
From the homily on the Gospels by Saint Gregory the Great, pope
My Lord
and my God
Thomas, one of the
twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
He was the only disciple absent; on his return he heard what
had happened but refused to believe it.
The Lord came a second time; he offered his side for the disbelieving
disciple to touch, held out his hands, and showing the scars of his wounds,
healed the wound of his disbelief.
Dearly beloved, what do you see in these events? Do you really believe that it was by chance
that this chosen disciple was absent, then came and heard, heard and doubted,
doubted and touched, touched and believed? It was not by chance but in God’s providence.
In a marvelous way God’s mercy
arranged that
the disbelieving disciple,
in touching the wounds of
his master’s body,
should
heal our wounds of disbelief.
The disbelief
of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other
disciples. As he touches Christ and is
won over to belief, every doubt is cast aside and our faith is
strengthened. So the disciple who
doubted, then felt Christ’s wounds, becomes a witness to the reality of the
resurrection.
 |
| Because you have seen Me, you believed. |
Touching Christ, he cried out: My Lord and my God! Jesus
said to him: Because you have seen me,
Thomas, you believed. Paul said: Faith the guarantee of things hoped for, the
evidence of things unseen.
It is
clear, then, that faith is the proof of what cannot be seen. What it seen gives knowledge, not faith.
When Thomas saw and touched, why was he told: You have believed because you have seen me? Because
what he saw and what he believed were different things.
God cannot be seen by mortal men.
Thomas saw a human being, whom he
acknowledged to be God, and said:
My Lord
and my God.
Seeing, he believed;
looking at one who was true man,
he cried out that this was God,
the God he
could not see.
What follows is reason for great joy: Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.
There is here a particular reference to
ourselves; we hold in our hearts one we have not seen in the flesh. We are included in these words, but only if
we follow up our faith with good works.
The true believer practices what he believes. But of those who pay only lip service to
faith, Paul has this to say: They profess
to know God, but they deny him in their works.
Therefore James says: Faith
without works is dead.
Saturday, 22 April 2017
Divine Mercy Sunday Indulgence
Plenary
Indulgence for
Divine Mercy Sunday
In a decree dated August 3, 2002, the Apostolic Penitentiary
announced that in order “to ensure that the faithful would observe this day
(Divine Mercy Sunday) with intense devotion, the Supreme Pontiff himself
established that this Sunday be enriched by a plenary indulgence…so that the faithful might receive in great abundance the gift
of the consolation of the Holy Spirit.
In this way, they can foster a growing love for God and for their
neighbor, and after they have obtained God’s pardon, they in turn might be
persuaded to show a prompt pardon to their brothers and sisters.”
The plenary indulgence is granted (under the usual
conditions of a sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and a prayer for
the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on Divine Mercy
Sunday, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin,
even a venial sin, recite the Our Father and the Creed, and also adding a devout
prayer (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!).
Additional provisions are offered for those who are impeded
from fulfilling these requirements, but who wish to acquire a plenary
indulgence. The full text of the decree
of the Apostolic Penitentiary may be found at: www.mercysunday.com. While the readings and prayers for Mass on
this day remain unchanged (they reflect perfectly on Our Lord’s Divine Mercy)
the Holy See offers this reflection:
The Gospel of the Second Sunday of Easter narrates the
wonderful things Christ the Lord accomplished on the day of the Resurrection
during His first public appearance: “On the evening of that day, the first day
of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the
Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with
you.’ When He had said this, He showed
them His hands and His side. Then the
disciples were glad to see the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so even I send
you,’ and then He breathed on them, and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are
forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’” (Jn 20, 19-23).
In addition, the decree requires that parish priests “should
inform the faithful in the most suitable way of the Church’s salutary
provision. They should promptly and
generously be willing to hear their confessions. On Divine Mercy Sunday, after celebrating
Mass they should lead the prayers that have been given above and they should
also encourage the faithful to perform acts of mercy as often as they can.”
From the Feb. 2003 edition of the BCL (Bishops Committee on
the Liturgy) NewsLetter by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY
General Remarks On Indulgences
1. This is how an indulgence is defined in the Code of Canon
Law (can. 992) and in the "../../../../archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm"
(n. 1471): "An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal
punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the
faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed
conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of
redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions
of Christ and the saints".
2. In general, the gaining of indulgences requires certain
prescribed conditions (below, nn. 3, 4), and the performance of certain
prescribed works (nn. 8, 9, 10 indicate those specific to the Holy Year).
3. To gain indulgences, whether plenary or partial, it is
necessary that the faithful be in the state of grace at least at the time the
indulgenced work is completed.
4. A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day. In
order to obtain it, the faithful must, in addition to being in the state of
grace:
— have the interior disposition of complete detachment from
sin, even venial sin;
— have sacramentally confessed their sins;
— receive the Holy Eucharist (it is certainly better to
receive it while participating in Holy Mass, but for the indulgence only Holy
Communion is required);
— pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff.
5. It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the
sacramental Confession and especially Holy Communion and the prayer for the
Pope's intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is
performed; but it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried
out within several days (about 20) before or after the indulgenced act.
Prayer
for the Pope's intentions is left to the choice of the faithful, but an
"Our Father" and a "Hail Mary" are suggested.
One
sacramental Confession suffices for several plenary indulgences, but a separate
Holy Communion and a separate prayer for the Holy Father's intentions are required
for each plenary indulgence.
6. For the sake of those legitimately impeded, confessors
can commute both the work prescribed and the conditions required (except,
obviously, detachment from even venial sin).
7. Indulgences can always be applied either to oneself or to
the souls of the deceased, but they cannot be applied to other persons living
on earth.
Cardinal William Wakefield Baum
Major Penitentiary
Bishop Luigi De Magistris
Titular Bishop of Nova
Regent
From the Official Vatican website
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