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My Prayer Box
the Newsletter of My Catholic Tradition
To subscribe to the newsletter, please follow this
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Divine Mercy Sunday |
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History:
Divine Mercy Sunday,
also known as Mercy of God Sunday, is
celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter
Sunday. Jesus Christ visited St. Faustina
Kowalska and promised to be especially
merciful to those who ask for forgiveness and
take part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation
and Holy Communion.
Born Faustina Kowalska, was called to
religious life through a vision of the
suffering of Christ. In 1925, she joined the
Congregation of the Sisters Our lady of Divine
Mercy and took the name of Sr. Maria Faustina
of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
The years she spent in the convent were filled
with extraordinary gifts, such as
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revelations, visions, hidden stigmata,
participation in the passion of the Lord,
bilocation, the reading of human souls and
prophecy.
In her visions, she was given three main
tasks: Reminding the world and the Church of
the truth in God’s mercy; interpreting Divine
Mercy for the whole world; and initiating the
apostolic movement of Divine Mercy.
Sr. Faustina kept a diary of the Lord’s wishes
as given to her through her visions. She died
in Krakow in 1938 but the devotion to the
Divine Mercy based on her diary had already
started. Due to the political situations at
that time the Catholic Church was unable to
verify the inaccurate and confusing
translations of her diary entries. For this
reason, the devotion to the Divine Mercy was
banned. The Church forbade the spreading of
the Divine Mercy message and devotion. The
Marians, however, continued to spread the
devotion to God’s mercy, but in obedience to
Rome, the devotion was based on Sacred
Scripture, the Liturgy, the teachings of the
Church, and Our Lady’s revelations at Fatima.
In 1958 Sr. Faustina’s prophecies started to
be fulfilled and the messages and devotion as
recorded in the original diary were
reexamined. In 1978, with the intervention of
the Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Karol
Wojtyla, the ban was lifted completely.
Through his efforts, and informative process
relating to the life and virtues of Sr.
Faustina was began, which led to Beatification
in 1993 and canonization in 2000. |
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The Chaplet of the
Divine Mercy |
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(Can
also be found in this link.) |
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Opening Prayer
You
expired, Jesus,
But the source of life gushed forth for
souls,
And the ocean of mercy
Opened up for the whole world.
O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy,
Envelop the whole world
And empty Yourself out upon us.
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth
From the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of
mercy for us,
I trust in you!
Begin the
chaplet with the
Our Father…,
the Hail Mary…,
and the Apostles Creed.
Then on
the large bead before each decade:
Eternal
Father,
I offer You the Body and Blood,
Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved
Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
I atonement for our sins
And those of the whole world.
On the
ten small beads of each decade, say:
For the
sake of His sorrowful Passion,
Have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Conclude
with:
Holy God,
Holy Mighty One,
Holy Immortal One
Have mercy on us
And on the whole world. (three times)
Closing Prayer
Eternal
Father, in whom mercy is endless,
And the treasury of compassion –
inexhaustible,
Look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy
on us,
That in difficult moments we might not
despair
Nor become despondent,
But with great confidence
Submit ourselves to your Holy Will,
Which is Love and Mercy itself.
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Divine
Mercy Sunday
April 19, 2009
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First Reading From
the
Acts of the Apostles: |
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Acts 4:32-35 |
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The community of believers was of one heart and
mind, and no one claimed that any of his
possessions was his own, but they had everything
in common. With great power the apostles bore
witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and
great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them, for those
who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at
the feet of the apostles, and they were
distributed to each according to need. |
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Responsorial From the Book of Psalms:
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Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 |
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R. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his
love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the house of Israel say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let the house of Aaron say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let those who fear the LORD say,
"His mercy endures forever."
R. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his
love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
R. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his
love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his
love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Second Reading from the First Letter of
John |
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1 Jn 5:1-6 |
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Beloved:
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is
begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him.In this way
we know that we love the children of God when we
love God and obey his commandments.
For the love of God is this, that we keep his
commandments. And his commandments are not
burdensome, for whoever is begotten by God
conquers the world.
And the victory that conquers the world is our
faith. Who indeed is the victor over the world but
the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came through water and blood,
Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and
blood.
The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the
Spirit is truth. |
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Reading From the
Gospel of John:
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Jn 20:19-31 |
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On the evening of that first day of the week, when
the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in
their midst and said to them,
"Peace be with you."When he had said this, he showed them his hands
and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again,
"Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and
said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained." Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him,
"We have seen
the Lord." But he said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not
believe."
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said,
"Peace be with
you." Then he said to Thomas,
"Put your finger here and
see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him,
"My Lord and my
God!" Jesus said to him,
"Have you come to believe
because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have
believed." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of
his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in
his name. |
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And then the
fight started!
Part 1 |
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A few funny
lines submitted by D. |
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1) |
My wife sat down on the couch next to me as I
was flipping channels.
She asked, 'What's on TV?'
I said, 'Dust.'
And then the fight started.... |
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My wife was hinting about what she wanted for
our upcoming anniversary. She said, 'I want
something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in
about 3 seconds.'
I bought her a scale.
And then the fight started... |
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3) |
When I got home last night, my wife demanded
that I take her someplace expensive... so, I
took her to a petrol station.
And then the fight started... |
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I took my wife to a restaurant. The waiter,
for some reason, took my
order first.
"I'll have the strip steak, medium rare,
please."
He said, "Aren't you worried about the mad
cow?""
"Nah, she can order for herself."
And then the fight started... |
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5) |
A woman is standing nude, looking in the
bedroom mirror.
She is not happy with what she sees and
says to her husband, 'I feel horrible; I look
old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me
a compliment.'
The husband replies, 'Your eyesight's damn
near perfect.'
And then the fight started..... |
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References |
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Render Unto Caesar: Serving the Nation by Living our Catholic Beliefs in Political Life
by
Charles J. Chaput
(Author)
“At a time
when the ‘faith and values’ vote has never
been more important, Archbishop Charles Chaput
deftly explores the intersection of morality,
reason, and politics. |
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This isn’t
just a book for Catholics, but for anyone who
cares about the state of America’s soul —and
how that concern might shape the 2008
elections.”
—John
L. Allen Jr., NCR and CNN senior Vatican
correspondent,
Amazon |
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Happiness Is a Serious
Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual
by Dennis Prager.
In this unique blend of self-help and moral
philosophy, talk-radio host Dennis Prager
asserts that we're actually obligated to be
happy, because it makes us better people.
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Praying With Frederic Ozanam (Companions for the Journey Series)
- Paperback, by Ronald Cm Ramson (Author) |
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Praying With Louise De Marillac (Companions for the Journey Series)
by Audrey Gibson (Author), Kieran Kneaves
(Author) |
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Praying with Vincent de Paul (Companions for the
Journey)
2004, by Thomas McKenna
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The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal, Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force ....
(Paperback)
by
Rodney Stark (Author)
From the Publisher |
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"... this account of Christianity's remarkable
growth within the Roman Empire is already the
subject of much fanfare. "Anyone who
has puzzled over Christianity's rise to
dominance... must read it," ...
Read
the first page. |
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Living Liturgy: Spirituality, Celebration, and Catechesis for Sundays and Solemnities - Year B - 2009
by C.PP.S. Joyce Ann
Zimmerman (Author), Thomas A. Greisen (Author),
S.N.D. de N. Kathleen Harmon (Author), M.S.
Thomas L. Leclerc (Author) |
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"Perfect for home use or to prepare for weekly
liturgy . . . It includes help for the
celebration, ideas for catechesis on the
particular event, and ways to understand the
readings more deeply. Finally, it includes
sample questions from which priests, deacons,
lay groups, ministers and others can jump off
into deeper discussion." |
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Straight Answers, Answers to 100 Questions about
the Catholic Faith
by Ph.D Rev. William P.
Saunders (Author)
Review by:
Reverend William G. Curlin Bishop of Charlotte
Straight Answers offers Catholics a simple and
direct response |
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to the many questions
concerning the Catholic Church. It spells out
profound truths in very simple language for all
who seek a better understanding of their Faith.
I highly recommend it for Catholics, both young
and old. |
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The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way
From Amazon: |
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After years of spiritual study and reflection,
inspirational speaker and bestselling
author Wayne Dyer has emerged a highly esteemed
teacher. His current message about tapping into
the power of intention may sound like good old
positive thinking: just stay focused on what you
want, rather than focusing on the lack of having
what you want. But the teaching here goes deeper
than just controlling thoughts (although he does
acknowledge that thought control is a
surprisingly challenging and significant
endeavor).
This book might
help readers land a better job, but it's more
relevant for those who are ready to detach from
an ego-driven life filled with quick fixes of
happiness and step into a more authentic,
joyful, and spiritually fulfilling life. His
core teachings speak to tapping into a universal
source of energy that can also be called the
"power of intention." |
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The Chariot of Israel: Exploits of the Prophet of Elijah
THE CHARIOT OF ISRAEL: When Elijah was caught up
to heaven, his disciple Elisha cried out, "the
chariot of Israel, and its horsemen." Elisha was
referring not to the chariot but to the prophet.
This study of Elijah’s life will captivate you
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it walks you through a
pivotal period in Israel’s history, and
illustrative maps will give you a better
picture of the physical geography of this
ancient land. |
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The First Book of Kings (Cambridge Bible Commentaries on the Old Testament) This
volume of commentary on the New English Bible text of the First Book of Kings
follows the pattern of the now well-established series on the Old and New
Testaments. The main divisions of the text are those provided |
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by the New English Bible
itself, but these are further subdivided for the
purposes of the commentary, which is printed in
short sections following the relevant portion of
the text.
Canon Robinson suggests that the editors of I
Kings compiled their history in order to teach
the Hebrews that their existence as Israel, the
covenant people of God, depended upon their
continuing loyalty to their own religious
traditions, and their refusal to exchange them
for the very different traditions of the
Canaanites among whom they lived.
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I & II Samuel: A Commentary (Old Testament Library)
First sentence in
the book:
""THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL contain that
part of the history of Israel which describes
the foundation of the State, running from the
close of the period of the Judges to the
establishment of the united kingdom." |
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Read more about the Liturgical Year |
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The Origins of the Liturgical Year (Pueblo
Books)
by
Thomas J. Talley
(Author) The Rev. Dr.
Thomas J. Talley, Professor of Liturgics
at the General Theological Seminary in New
York, is one of the leading liturgists in
the country. He gives us a fresh
examination of the complex history of the
Liturgical Year. |
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The Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday, Cycle C. (Bestseller! the Cultural World of Jesus: Sunday by Sunday)
by
John J. Pilch (Author)
Reader
Review: The book by Pilch provides those
who not only fill the pulpits across this
country but also all interested in the |
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cultural world in which Jesus lived with a lot
of pertinent information that sheds light on a
lot of areas that have been "muddled" in the
past. Yes, I highly recommend this book. -
James Mauldin |
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Learn more and read the Old Testament. |
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Preaching from the Old Testament
by Elizabeth Achtemeier (Author) Reader
Review: The author of these
thirty-two short chapters begins and ends
with the assumption that problems we
experience with the Old Testament are our
problem, not the Bible's. This
subordinating of the Bible reader to the
well-weathered book he holds in his hand
opens doors, not to forced
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harmonisations
of problematic passages, but to fresh
reappraisal of difficult texts on their
own terms. -
David A. Baer |
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The Navarre Bible: Pentateuch (The Navarre Bible: Old Testament)
This volume helps you make the first five
books of the Old Testament a vital part of
your spiritual reading and practical
growth in the Christian life. It contains
the full English and Latin texts of these
books, along with extensive and
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faithfully Catholic
commentaries. Like other volumes in the
world-renowned Navarre Bible series, these
commentaries draw on Church documents, the
exegesis of Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and the works of contemporary
spiritual writers — particularly St. Josemaría
Escrivá, who initiated the Navarre Bible
project. |
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Comments and
Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any
comments or contributions, please
use the form in this link.
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Comments and Suggestions are Most Welcome.
If you have any comments or contributions,
please
use the form in this link.
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Copyright
© 2006. My Catholic Tradition. All rights reserved |
Dear Friends:
Please visit us by
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I hope you visit us often and tell your friends, too!
Thank you.
Rey
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