Immaculate Heart! Help us to conquer the menace of evil, which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today, and whose immeasurable effects already weigh down upon our modern world and seem to block the paths towards the future!
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against the life of man from its very beginning, deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God, deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ, this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual human beings, laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Let there be revealed, once more, in the history of the world the infinite saving power of the Redemption: the power of merciful Love!
May it put a stop to evil! May it transform consciences!
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of Hope!
This prayer is from the consecration of all individuals and peoples of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1984 by Saint John Paul II. It took place in St. Peter’s Square on March 25, 1984.
Immaculate Heart! Help us to conquer the menace of evil, which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today, and whose immeasurable effects already weigh down upon our modern world and seem to block the paths towards the future!
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against the life of man from its very beginning, deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God, deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ, this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual human beings, laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Let there be revealed, once more, in the history of the world the infinite saving power of the Redemption: the power of merciful Love!
May it put a stop to evil! May it transform consciences!
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of Hope!
This prayer is from the consecration of all individuals and peoples of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1984 by Saint John Paul II. It took place in St. Peter’s Square on March 25, 1984.
Pentecost is almost here! When the Holy Spirit arrives on Pentecost, confusion is replaced with confidence, joy and knowledge.  The following prayers to the Holy Spirit were written by the Saints. They give us the insight into the lives of men and women in search of God’s will in their lives.  Meditating on these prayers is a wonderful way to grow closer to God during this holy season.
Come Holy Spirit, Divine Creator, true source of light and fountain of wisdom. Pour forth your brilliance upon my dense intellect, dissipate the darkness, which covers me, that of sin and of ignorance.
Grant me a penetrating mind to understand, a retentive memory, method and ease in learning, the lucidity to comprehend, and abundant grace in expressing myself.
Guide the beginning of my work, direct its progress, and bring it to successful completion.
This I ask through Jesus Christ, true God and true man, living and regning with You and the Father, forever and ever.
Amen
St. Thomas Aquinas
Blessing Prayer
St. Dominic
May God the Father who made us bless us.
May God the Son send his healing among us.
May God the Holy Spirit move within us and give us eyes to see with, ears to hear with, and hands that your work might be done.
May we walk and preach the word of God to all. May the angel of peace watch over us and lead us at last by God’s grace to the Kingdom. Amen
12. Remember that true humility consists in being ready for what the Lord wants to do with you and happy that we should do it, and in considering yourselves unworthy to be called His servants.
14. Do not be afraid to be holy. Have the courage and humility to present yourselves to the world determined to be holy, since true full Freedom is born from holiness.Â
The following articles are YOUR favorite articles on the Mystery of Faith. I have listed them in order of popularity. The year of 2024 is gone.  I want to thank everyone for reading the articles I have posted.Â
May each of you have a blessed 2025!
 I have listed the articles in order of popularity.
Doubting Thomas Painting by Michaelango Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610)
What does Easter mean to You?
When I think of Easter, I think of the surprise those who loved Jesus expressed. Mary Magdalene exclaimed, “I have seen the Lord!” When Jesus appeared to the apostles while Thomas was absent, Thomas declared his disbelief saying he needed to “see with his own eyes the wounds of the Lord”
To me, Easter means Hope. Easter means new life. Easter means new beginnings. Most of all, Easter means Joy! Joy that Jesus is alive in our life. Jesus takes away our fear and doubt. Jesus leads us in a mysterious way to new beginnings and gives us joy at the same time.
When we are hurting and depressed it is easy to lose hope, and we can lose our faith. If everything Jesus tells us is true, than there is a heaven, and it is possible that in spite of my sins I will inherit everlasting life! How we deal with suffering defines who we are as Christians. The saints were all willing to suffer for their faith. They seemed to understand the value of suffering more than those of us in the modern world.
Jesus died on the cross for MY sins. He died on the cross for YOUR sins. If we turn to him in faith for guidance, he will lead us home…to heaven.
Lead me Lord is one of my favorite prayers. It tells the Lord that I do not know the future. I need His guidance. If I am quiet and listen, He will lead me to know His will. What a difference my life would be if all my prayers had been answered YES! I heard once that God has only two answers to our prayers…Yes or …I have a better plan! I ask God to help me discover what His plan is for me.
Thank you, Jesus, for dying for my sins.
Help me to know your will and to follow it.
Help me to never be discouraged or to give up hope.
Help me to share my joy that I feel knowing that you love me.
When I think of Easter, I think of the surprise those who loved Jesus expressed. Mary Magdalene exclaimed, “I have seen the Lord!” When Jesus appeared to the apostles while Thomas was absent, Thomas declared his disbelief saying he needed to “see with his own eyes the wounds of the Lord”
To me, Easter means Hope. Easter means new life. Easter means new beginnings. Most of all, Easter means Joy! Joy that Jesus is alive in our life. Jesus takes away our fear and doubt. Jesus leads us in a mysterious way to new beginnings and gives us joy at the same time.
When we are hurting and depressed it is easy to lose hope, and we can lose our faith. If everything Jesus tells us is true, than there is a heaven, and it is possible that in spite of my sins I will inherit everlasting life! How we deal with suffering defines who we are as Christians.  The saints were all willing to suffer for their faith. They seemed to understand the value of suffering more than those of us in the modern world.
Jesus died on the cross for MY sins. He died on the cross for YOUR sins. If we turn to him in faith for guidance, he will lead us home…to heaven.
Lead me Lord is one of my favorite prayers. It tells the Lord that I do not know the future. I need His guidance. If I am quiet and listen, He will lead me to know His will. What a difference my life would be if all my prayers had been answered YES! I heard once that God has only two answers to our prayers…Yes or …I have a better plan! I ask God to help me discover what His plan is for me.
Thank you, Jesus, for dying for my sins.
Help me to know your will and to follow it.
Help me to never be discouraged or to give up hope.
Help me to share my joy that I feel knowing that you love me.
The Feast Day of St. Barbara is celebrated on December 4. She is one of the Holy Helperswho are known for the healing power of prayer. She is invoked to prevent sudden death.
St. Barbara was a virgin and a martyr. She lived in Sicily in the third century. Her father was a wealthy Syrian. When his wife died he devoted himself to his only daughter. Because Barbara was so beautiful, her father (Dioscorus) decided he needed to protect her from strangers and built her a tower. She was educated by pagan tutors.
From the tower, Barbara had a wonderful view of the meadows, hills and river. She developed a spirituality which focused on the beauty of creation by our creator. She also decided to devote herself to God and to remain a virgin. Because of her beauty she had many suitors, but she refused to marry.
Barbara’s father wanted her to marry, so he decided to let her come down from the tower and socialize. Barbara became friends with some Christians. While her father was away she was baptized after being instructed in the faith by a priest.
At the time, a bathhouse was being built on their property. It had two windows. Barbara requested a third window to create a trinity of light. Barbara traced the sign of the cross on one of the walls and it left an imprint on the marble. The water in the bathhouse became known for its healing power.
When her father returned from his traveling, he was furious to learn Barbara had converted to Christianity. He became enraged and almost struck her with a sword. Barbara fled into the hills and hid in a cave. She was eventually found and severely beaten. She was then turned over to the city prefect. Barbara was then tortured and had her wounds rubbed with a hair cloth. During the night, after praying for relief, Jesus appeared to her and healed them. The next day she was beaten again. A woman in the crown named Juliana denounced the torturers and she was also seized and tortured.
Barbara and Juliana were both tortured and paraded through town naked. An angel appeared after hearing Barbara’s prayers and gave them splendid robes. Both Barbara and Juliana were beheaded.  St. Barbara was beheaded by her own father. Immediately, after the execution, he was struck by lightning.
The relics of St. Barbara were moved in the sixth century to Constantinople. Six hundred years later they were moved to Kiev.
St. Barbara is known for protecting against sudden death.
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“Keep a clear eye toward life’s end. Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God’s creature. What you are in his sight is what you are and nothing more. Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received…but only what you have given; a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice, and courage.”