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Faith, Feast Days

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Feast of the Guardian Angels, Feast Day October 2

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Gethsemane by Carl Bloch
Gethsemane
by Carl Bloch

 

The feast day of the Guardian Angels is celebrated on October 2.  The feast day was added to the Church Calendar in the year 1615 by Pope Paul V.

References to angels occur frequently in the bible.  Jesus himself refers to angels saying:

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly father. ( Matthew 18:10)

An angel is mentioned at least 17 times in the New Testament.  Two incidents which would indicate a guardian angel are the angel who delivered St. Peter from prison (Acts 5:19) and the angel who ministered to Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Luke 22:39)

THE ANGEL WITH ST. PETER

19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said,  “Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life.”  When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching.

CHRIST PRAYING IN GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

39 He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him.  When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”  Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength.

The function of the guardian angels is to strengthen,lead and guide us to the Kingdom of Heaven.

“Are not all angels spirits in the divine service went to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? “(Hebrews 1:14)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church declares in section 336 about guardian angels: “From infancy to death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.”

All of us at some time in our life need guidance and help during times of suffering and confusion.  We turn to Jesus in prayer to lead us to everlasting life.  Mary and the saints pray for us and are our role models.  But  we should also turn to  our guardian angel and be grateful for all the unknown times we have been led down the correct path.

Guardian Angel with Children
Guardian Angel with Children

 

The angels rejoice and celebrate with Christ over the return of the Lord’s sheep…He sought us on earth; let us seek Him in heaven.

Quote of St. Peter Chrysologus;  Feast day July 30

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

 

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Carmelite Saints, Doctor of the Church, Faith, Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St Thérèse of Lisieux, Feast Day October 1

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St. Therese the Little Flower Public Domain Image
St. Therese the Little Flower

Marie Therese Martin was born at Alencon, France on Jan. 2, 1873.   St Thérèse of Lisieux is the patron saint of florists, missionaries, pilots and against tuberculosis.

The father of St. Thérèse, Louis Martin, was a watchmaker.  Her Mother, Zelie was a lace maker.  She died when Thérèse was four year old.  Pope Francis canonized both Louise and Zelie as saints on Oct. 18, 2015.  All five of their daughters entered religious life.  The family attended daily Mass,  visited the elderly and the sick and helped the poor.

St. Thérèse  felt called into the religious life at the age of 15.  She asked permission to enter the Carmel of Lisieux a Carmelite convent.  She took the name of St. Thérèse  of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.

St. Thérèse had a childlike  trust in the providence of God and in His merciful love.  Her life as contemplative Carmelite was short but it influenced many souls.  She was declared a Doctor of the Church by St. Pope St. John Paul II in 1997.

During her nine years living as a Carmelite Nun St. Thérèse  became known for her spirituality.  Her love of God was profound and she wanted to share that love with others.  She developed her “Little Way” which was her way of loving Jesus.  When asked to explain it, she replied:

“It is the way of spiritual childhood, the way of trust and absolute self-surrender.  I want to point out to souls the means that I have always found so completely successful…to tell them there is only one thing to do here below…to offer Our Lord the flowers of little sacrifices and win Him by our caresses.”

St. Thérèse’s spirituality began with scripture and the gospels.  She offered any suffering in her life to God and trusted in Him completely.  She found joy in suffering for it united her to the cross and the Passion of Our Lord.  She also had a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

“How little known is the merciful love of the Heart of Jesus! It is true that to enjoy that treasure we must humble ourselves, must confess our nothingness . . . and here is where many a soul draws back.”

St. Thérèse liked to use the image of flowers, especially roses, in her prayers.  She considered each sacrifice a flower given to God.   She compared souls to flowers, each one unique.

St. Thérèse came down with tuberculosis  and died after several years of suffering at the age of 24  on Sept. 30, 1897.  She was canonized in 1925.

The autobiography  St. Thérèse wrote, The Story of a Soul, was published the year after her death.

“I want to suffer and even rejoice for love, for this is my way of scattering flowers.  Never a flower shall I find but its petals shall be scattered for you, and all the while I will sing, yes sing, even when gathering my roses in the midst of thorns, and the longer and sharper the thorns may be, the sweeter shall be my song!”

Quote of St. Thérèse

 

St. Thérèse in Art

 

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

 

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Doctor of the Church, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Jerome, Feast Day September 30

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St. Jerome and the Angel by Simon Vouet Public Domain Image
St. Jerome and the Angel
by Simon Vouet

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Jerome,

Feast Day September 30

The feast day of St. Jerome is celebrated on September 30.  He is the patron saint of Bible scholars.  He is considered one of the four great Doctors of the Church along with St. Ambrose, St. Augustine and St. Gregory of Nazianzus.

St. Jerome was born in Dalmatia around 340-342 A.D into a wealthy family.  His father was a Christian and made sure he was well educated.  His mother was a pagan.  At the age of 20 he visited Rome.  He enjoyed visiting the tombs of the martyrs and the Apostles and converted to Christianity.  He was baptized by Pope Liberius in 360.

St. Jerome studied theology and then began life as a hermit in the Syrian desert.  He was ordained a priest in Antioch at about the age of 40.  He then went to Constantinople where he met St. Gregory of Nazianzus.  He became the secretary for Pope Darnasus who commissioned him to translate the Bible.  This project took him 30 years.

While living in Rome he was known for his personal holiness, learning and integrity.  He was, however, disliked by many for his blunt sarcasm.  He left Rome and went to Bethlehem where he established a monastery.  He lived in prayer and study until the end of his life.

In art, St. Jerome is often shown with an angel with a trumpet.  He was believed to have had a dream when he was seriously ill.  In the dream he appeared before God’s judgment seat and was condemned for not being a Christian.

St. Jerome died peacefully on September 39, 420 after suffering from an illness for two years.

 

“The letters of the apostles are spiritual rain for us.”

Quote of St. Jerome

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Faith, Feast Days

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Feast of the Archangels, Feast Day September 29

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St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael Public Domain Image
St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael

September 29th is the day the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of the Archangels; St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael. The word “angel” means servant of God. Angels have no bodies. They are pure spirits. They have intellect and free will. Angels who turned against God are called “fallen angels”. Satan is the leader of the fallen angels.

St. Augustine tells us the following:

 

“Angel is the name of their office, not of their nature.”

 

The Choirs of angels include nine types of angels. In ascending order they are: 1. Angels 2. Archangels 3. Principalities 4. Powers 5. Virtues 6. Dominations 7. Thrones 8. Cherubim 9. Seraphim.

The archangels appear several times in scripture. St. Michael (which means “who is like God”) is considered a warrior angel. He appears three times in scripture; in the Book of Daniel, the Epistle of St. Jude, and the Book of Revelation. In the Book of Revelation, the final battle between good and evil at the end of time is described. St. Michael and his angels will battle against the dragon (also known as Satan) and good will triumph. (Revelation 12:7)

St. Gabriel (which means “Strength of God) is a messenger. He announces the birth of the prophet John the Baptist. He is also called the Angel of the Annunciation because he announces to Mary that she is to be the Mother of God. It is St. Gabriel  the messenger who says:

 

“Hail Mary, the Lord is with you.”(Luke 1:28)

 

St. Raphael (which means “Divine Healer”) appears in the Book of Tobit. He is a guide for the young Tobias on his long journey. He introduces Tobias to his future wife Sarah, and after their return home, he gives Tobias instructions in how to heal his fathers’ blindness.

The following prayers of intercession are popular prayers to the Archangels.

St. Michael the Archangel Public Domain Image
St. Michael the Archangel

Prayer to St. Michael

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the Divine Power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits, who roam throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

Archangel Gabriel Public Domain Image
Archangel Gabriel

Prayer to St. Gabriel

Blessed St. Gabriel, the Archangel, We beseech you to intercede for us as at the throne of divine mercy. As ;you announced the mystery of the Incarnation to Mary, so through your prayers, may we receive strength of faith, and courage of spirit, and thus find favor with God and redemption through Christ Our Lord. May we sing the praise of God our Savior with the angels and saints in heaven forever and ever. Amen

 

St. Raphael the Archangel Public Domain Image
St. Raphael the Archangel

Prayer to St. Raphael

Dear St. Raphael, your lovely name means “God heals”. The Lord sent you to young Tobias to guide him throughout a long journey. Upon his return you taught him how to cure his fathers’ blindness. How natural therefore for Christians to pray for your powerful help for safe travel and a happy return. This is what we ask for ourselves as well as for all who are far from home. Amen

 

“It is humility that makes men into angels.”

Quote of St. Augustine;  Feast day January 28

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes; St. Wenceslas of Bohemia, Feast Day September 28

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St. Wenceslaus Public Domain Image
St. Wenceslaus

The feast day of St. Wenceslas is celebrated on September 28.  He is most remembered for the Christmas Carol Good King Wenceslas.  He became King of Bohemia at the age of 18.

King Wenceslaus was born to the Duke of Bohemia.  His family had been converted by St. Cyril and St. Methodius.  His mother however, was a pagan.  After her husbands death she persecuted Christians.

The Duchess Ludmilla was the mother in law of Drahomira and grandmother to Wenceslaus.  She taught him about religion.  He practiced his faith and received the sacraments in secret.

When he became King of Bohemia the persecution ended.  He built churches, recalled priests from exile and welcomed Christian missionaries into Bohemia.

St. Wenceslaus had a strong devotion to the Eucharist and helped prepare the altar bread with his own hands.  He also made wine from wheat and grapes he grew himself.

A reconciliation was attempted with his family when they gathered at a banquet on the Feast of St. Cosmas and Damien (Sept. 27).  The next morning his brother killed him with a lance on the steps of the church.  Two years before, his mother had arranged for his grandmother Ludmilla to be strangled to death. The feast day of St. Ludmilla is celebrated on September 16.

The good king died at the age of 22.  Miracles were reported at his tomb.

The Christmas Carol sung about Gook King Wenceslaus  reminds us to serve others as the good King did.  To think less of ourselves and to see Christ in the poor.

 

“God has not created poverty……it is we who have created it.  

Before God, all of us are poor.” 

Quote of St. Teresa of Calcutta, Feast Day September 5

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Faith, Incorruptible, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Vincent de Paul, Feast Day September 27

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St. Vincent de Paul Public Domain Image
St. Vincent de Paul
Public Domain Image

 

The feast day of St. Vincent de Paul is celebrated on September 27.  He is the patron saint of charities, hospitals and volunteers.

St. Vincent was born at Pouy, Gascony in Southern France in 1581 into a large peasant family.  At the age of 15, he entered a Franciscan seminary.   He tutored children until he was ordained a priest in 1600.

In `1605, St. Vincent was traveling on a ship from Marseilles to Narborne when he was captured by Moorish pirates!  He was sold as a slave in Africa.  After two years as a slave, he escaped and returned to France.

At Avignon St. Vincent continued to study.  He became the chaplain to the Count of Goigny and was placed in charge of the charities for the poor.   This inspired him to preach missions to provide relief for the poor.  St. Vincent founded a missionary group known as the  Vincentians. The priests in the Order served people primarily in small towns and villages.  They had a devotion to helping the poor.

Next, St. Vincent along with the help of St. Louise de Marillac, founded the Sisters of Charity.  He organized the rich women in Paris to collect money for hiss missionary projects, including several hospitals.  He also collected money for victims of war and ransomed over 1200 slaves from N. Africa.

The motto of St. Vincent was “God see you”.  He became known as the Apostle of Charity and the Father of the Poor.

St. Vincent died at the age of 80.  His heart remains incorrupt and can be found in the Convent of the Sisters of Charity in Paris.  He is credited with two miracles.  The first was the curing of a nun with ulcers.  The second was a laywoman cured of paralysis.

St. Vincent de Paul was canonized by Pope Clement XII on June 16, 1737.

St. Vincent’s bones and heart are perfectly incorrupt and have been placed inside a wax figure of his body. His relics can be seen in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris.

 

Do not feel that all is lost because of the revolt you feel inside.  It has rained hard.  The thunder has crashed.  Is the weather any less beautiful because of that?  Be assured you are not, for all that, any less dear to our Lord.

Quote of St. Vincent de Paul

 

September is the Month of Our Sorrowful Mother

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