O Victorious Virgin,
In the dawn of this
Glorious new year,
Take my hand, gently,
And sweetly lead me
On the path to Truth;
Then joyfully unlock
The Gate of Heaven
Which opens wide
To the Prince of Peace,
To the King of Kindness,
To the Lord of Love;
And as your Son rises
From the depths of my heart,
May Divine Mercy rays
Of red and white
Shine through me
And warm the world!
Amen.
Dearest Jesus,
King of Divine Mercy,
I humbly come and kneel
In Spirit before you;
During this Hour of Mercy,
Help me to slow down my life,
Calmly put aside all of my worries,
And give them to Our Lady,
So that she may gently lay them
At the foot of your cross,
And so I place myself,
Lovingly and wholeheartedly,
In your most holy presence;
Help me to recall your passion,
Your painful bloody passion,
And how much you suffered,
In the agony in the garden,
In the scourging at the pillar,
In the crowning with thorns,
In the carrying of the cross,
And in the crucifixion,
So that I may better understand
How much I have wounded you
With all my sins!
And so, as I stand at Golgotha,
Watching the blood and water
That flow from your side,
I approach this Sea of Mercy
With great trust —
Please, fill my heart,
To overflowing measure,
With your unfathomable mercy.
I pray for myself, for my family,
For the Church, for my diocese,
For my parish and my pastor,
For the world, and for the
Poor souls in purgatory;
Please fill us all with
The fruit of your Spirit.
Amen.
O Jesus, The Divine Master,
I surrender to you!
O Jesus, The Divine Mercy,
I trust in you!
O Jesus, The Divine Artist,
I humbly kneel in awe before you!
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your love,
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your joy,
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your peace,
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your patience,
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your kindness,
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your generosity,
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your faithfulness,
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your gentleness,
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your self-control,
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your divine wisdom,
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your divine mercy.
O Sacrament most holy,
O Sacrament divine,
All praise and all thanksgiving,
Be every moment thine.
Amen.
Tuus totus ego sum,
Et omnia mea tua sunt,
I am all yours, O my Jesus,
And I all that I have is yours,
Through Santa Maria
Your most holy mother.
O Divine Artist, please speak to my heart now,
And make my life a masterpiece of your love…
O Jesus,
King of Divine Mercy,
I pray for myself,
I pray for my family,
I pray for the Church,
I pray for my diocese and parish,
I pray for the world,
I pray for the poor souls of Purgatory,
I pray for the intention of today’s indulgence.
Dearest Jesus,
Please fill us with the fruit of the Spirit!
Please fill us with great trust in your divine mercy!
Please fill us with holy humility!
Please fill us with holy love!
Please fill us with holy thanksgiving!
Amen.
To be said just before and after receiving Holy Communion
Inspired by St. Francis de Sales
O Lord of Love,
I long for holy union with you!
O Lord of Love,
I long for holy union with you!
O Lord of Love,
I long for holy union with you!
Thank you, Jesus,
For the gift of your love!
Amen.
Inspired by St. Francis de Sales
Dearest Jesus,
I place myself in your holy presence,
And I beseech you to inspire me
By the power of the Holy Spirit,
For the glory of God the Father.
My heart is ready, O God,
My heart is ready.
Jesus, I trust in You!
Vive Jésus!
Amen.
Dearest Jesus,
King of Divine Mercy,
I humbly come and kneel
In spirit before you;
During this Hour of Mercy,
Help me to slow down my life,
Calmly put aside all of my worries,
And give them to Our Lady,
So that she may gently lay them
At the foot of your cross,
And so I place myself,
Lovingly and wholeheartedly,
In your most holy presence;
Help me to recall your passion,
Your painful bloody passion,
And how much you suffered,
In the agony in the garden,
In the scourging at the pillar,
In the crowning of thorns,
In the carrying of the cross,
And in the crucifixion,
So that I may better understand
How much I have wounded you
With all my sins!
And so, as I stand at Golgotha,
Watching the blood and water
That flow from your side,
I approach this Sea of Mercy
With great trust —
Please, fill my heart,
To overflowing measure,
With your unfathomable mercy.
I pray for myself, for my family,
For the Church, for my diocese,
For the world, and for the
Poor souls of purgatory;
Please fill us all with
The fruit of your Spirit!
Amen.
A favorite prayer of St. Louis de Montfort
Hail Mary,
Beloved Daughter of the Eternal Father.
Hail Mary,
Admirable Mother of the Son.
Hail Mary,
Faithful Spouse of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary,
My Mother, my loving Mistress, my powerful sovereign.
Hail, my joy, my glory, my heart and my soul.
You are all mine by mercy,
And I am yours by justice.
But I am not yet sufficiently yours.
I now give myself wholly to you
Without keeping anything back
For myself or others.
If you see anything in me
Which does not belong to you,
I beseech you to take it
And make yourself the absolute Mistress
Of all that is mine.
Destroy in me all that may displease God;
Root it up and bring it to nought.
Place and cultivate in me
Everything that is pleasing to you.
May the light of your faith
Dispel the darkness of my mind.
May your profound humility
Take the place of my pride;
May your sublime contemplation
Check the distractions
Of my wandering imagination.
May the continuous sight of God
Fill my memory with his presence;
May the burning love of your heart
Inflame the lukewarmness of mine.
May your virtues
Take the place of my sins;
May your merits be my only adornment
In the sight of God
And make up for all that is wanting in me.
Finally, dearly beloved Mother,
Grant, if it be possible,
That I may have no other spirit but yours
To know Jesus, and His Divine Will;
That I may have no other soul but yours
To praise and glorify God;
That I may have no other heart but yours
To love God with a love as pure and ardent as yours.
I do not ask you for visions, revelations,
Sensible devotions, or spiritual pleasures.
It is your privilege to see God clearly,
It is your privilege to enjoy heavenly bliss,
It is your privilege to triumph gloriously in heaven
At the right hand of your Son,
And to hold absolute sway
Over angels, men, and demons.
It is your privilege to dispose of all the gifts of God,
Just as you will.
Such, O heavenly Mary, the “best part,”
Which the Lord has given you,
And which shall never be taken away from you —
And this thought fills my heart with joy.
As for my part here below,
I wish for no other than that which was yours,
To believe sincerely
Without spiritual pleasures,
To suffer joyfully
Without human consolation,
To die continually to myself
Without respite,
And to work zealously and unselfishly for you
Until death, as the humblest of your servants.
The only grace I beg you, for me,
Is that every moment of the day,
And every moment of my life, I may say,
“Amen, so be it, to all you are doing in heaven.
Amen, so be it, to all you did do upon earth.
Amen, so be it, to all you are doing in my soul,”
So that you alone may fully glorify Jesus in me
For time and eternity.
Amen.
Prayer in the Dark Night of Unknowing
O Divine Artist,
Paint the fruit of the Spirit
On the canvas of my life,
With brushstrokes of love,
With brushstrokes of joy,
With brushstrokes of peace,
With brushstrokes of patience,
With brushstrokes of kindness,
With brushstrokes of generosity,
With brushstrokes of faithfulness,
With brushstrokes of self-control,
With brushstrokes of divine wisdom,
With brushstrokes of divine mercy.
O Jesus, living in Santa Maria,
I wholeheartedly trust in you!
Live, Jesus!
Amen.
A favorite prayer of St. Louis de Montfort
Hail, Mary, Daughter of God the Father;
Hail, Mary, Mother of God the Son;
Hail, Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit;
Hail, Mary, Temple of the Most Holy Trinity;
Hail Mary, my Mistress, my treasure, my joy, Queen of my heart;
My Mother, my life, my sweetness, my dearest hope --
Yes, my heart and my soul!
I am all yours and all that I have is yours,
O Virgin blessed above all things!
Let your soul be in me to magnify the Lord;
Let your spirit be in me to rejoice in God.
Set yourself, O Faithful Virgin, as a seal upon my heart,
That in you and through you I may be found faithful to God.
Receive me, O gracious Virgin,
Among those whom you love and teach,
Whom you lead, nourish and protect as your children.
Grant that for love of you
I may despise all earthly consolations,
And ever cling to those of Heaven,
Until, through the Holy Spirit, your faithful Spouse,
And through you, His faithful spouse,
Jesus Christ your Son be formed in me,
For the glory of the Father.
Amen.
Prayer in the Dark Night of Unknowing
O merciful Lady of Love,
Teach me holy compassion;
O joyful Lady of Love,
Teach me to smile;
O peaceful Lady of Love,
Teach me to surrender;
O patient Lady of Love,
Teach me to slow down;
O kind Lady of Love,
Teach me to think of others;
O generous Lady of Love,
Teach me poverty in spirit;
O faithful Lady of Love,
Teach me trust in Divine Mercy;
O gentle Lady of Love,
Teach me holy humility;
O imperturbable Lady of Love,
Teach me to be calm in battle;
O wise Lady of Love,
Teach me to listen to the Word.
O Jesus, living in Santa Maria,
I wholeheartedly trust in you!
Live, Jesus!
Amen.
A favorite prayer of St. Louis de Montfort
Tuus totus ego sum,
Et omnia mea tua sunt.
I am all yours,
And all that I have is yours,
O most loving Jesus,
Through Mary,
Your most holy Mother.
Amen.
O Light of the Spirit,
O Light of Love,
Burn brightly in my heart!
Burn brightly in my soul!
Come, Holy Spirit,
Fill the hearts
Of your faithful,
And enkindle in us,
The fire of your love.
O Jesus, living in Santa Maria,
I wholeheartedly trust in you!
Live, Jesus!
Amen.
O Lord of Love,
Through your holy grace,
I have wholehearted contrition,
And am free from all affection for sin,
And so, with a sincere heart,
I offer you this Our Father
And also this Hail Mary,
For the Holy Father’s intentions…
And along with these prayers,
Please accept my recent confession,
And this morning’s indulgenced work,
And reception of Holy Communion.
In short, I humbly request that
Through the sweet hands of
Our Lady of Love,
You accept the little gift of
This partial indulgence,
Offered for the benefit of _____,
Or for whomever the merciful
Mystical Rose most wishes,
In accordance with your holy will.
Amen.
O Wisdom, eternal and incarnate!
O most lovable and adorable Jesus,
True God and true man,
Only Son of the eternal Father
And of Mary ever virgin!
I adore you profoundly
In the bosom and splendors of your Father
During eternity
And in the virginal womb of Mary
Your most worthy Mother,
at the time of your incarnation.
I give you thanks
That you have emptied yourself
In taking the form of a slave,
In order to rescue me
From the cruel slavery of the devil.
I praise you and glorify you
That you have been pleased to submit yourself,
In all things,
To Mary, your most holy Mother,
In order to make me,
Through her,
Your faithful slave.
But alas!
Ungrateful and faithless that I am,
I have not kept the vows and promises
That I made so solemnly to you
In my baptism.
I have not fulfilled my obligations;
I do not deserve to be called your child
Or even your slave;
And, as there is nothing in me
That does not merit your rejection and your anger,
I no longer dare
To approach your holy and august Majesty
By myself.
This is why I have recourse
To the intercession and mercy
Of your most holy Mother,
Whom you have given to me
As Mediatrix before you;
And it is through her
That I hope to obtain from you contrition
And the pardon of my sins,
And the acquisition and preservation
Of wisdom.
I call to you, O Mary Immaculate,
Living tabernacle of the Divinity,
Where eternal Wisdom is hidden
And wishes to be adored
By angels and by men.
I call to you, O Queen of heaven and earth,
To whose rule everything is subject
That is under God.
I call to you, O sure Refuge of sinners,
Whose mercy fails no one;
Fulfill the desires that I have
For divine Wisdom,
And for that end,
Receive the vows and offerings
Which my lowliness presents to you.
I, ___________, unfaithful sinner,
Renew and ratify today
In your hands,
The vows of my baptism.
I renounce forever Satan,
His pomps and his works,
And I give myself entirely
To Jesus Christ, incarnate Wisdom,
To carry my cross after him
All the days of my life,
And to be more faithful to him
Than I have been until now.
I choose you today,
In the presence of the entire heavenly court,
To be my Mother and my Mistress.
I hand over to you and consecrate,
As your slave,
My body and my soul,
My goods, both interior and exterior,
And even the value of my good actions,
Past, present and future,
Leaving to you
An entire and full right
To dispose of me
And of everything that belongs to me,
Without exception,
According to your good pleasure,
For the greater glory of God,
In time and in eternity.
Receive, O benign Virgin,
This little offering of my slavery,
In honor of, and in union with,
The submission that eternal Wisdom
Deigned to have to your maternity;
In homage to the power that the two of you
Have over this little worm and wretched sinner,
And in thanksgiving for the privileges
Which the Blessed Trinity has favored upon you.
I declare that I wish henceforth,
As your true slave,
To seek your Honor
And to obey you in all things.
O admirable Mother!
Present me to your dear Son,
As his eternal slave,
So that, having redeemed me through you,
He may receive me through you.
O Mother of mercy!
Grant me the grace
Of obtaining the true Wisdom of God
And so to include me
In the number of those
Whom you love,
Whom you instruct,
Whom you lead,
Whom you nourish and protect
As your children and your slaves.
O Virgin most faithful!
Make me in all things
So perfect a disciple, imitator and slave
Of incarnate Wisdom,
Jesus Christ, your Son,
That I may come,
Through your intercession and your example,
To the fullness of his age on earth
And of his glory in heaven.
Amen.
Qui potest capere capiat (He who is able to receive this, let him receive it)
Quis sapiens et intelliget haec? (Who is wise that he shall understand these things?)
Signature: _________________________________
Place: ____________________________________
Date: ____________________________________
SACRED ART: "Pietà" by Michelangelo
(Left-click once or twice on the picture to see the painting at closer range)
PRAYER: Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary ***OPTIONAL***
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Most honored of virgins, pray for us.
Chosen daughter of the Father, pray for us.
Mother of Christ the King, pray for us.
Glory of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Virgin daughter of Zion, pray for us.
Virgin poor and humble, pray for us.
Virgin gentle and obedient, pray for us.
Handmaid of the Lord, pray for us.
Mother of the Lord, pray for us.
Helper of the Redeemer, pray for us.
Full of grace, pray for us.
Fountain of beauty, pray for us.
Model of virtue, pray for us.
Finest fruit of the redemption, pray for us.
Perfect disciple of Christ, pray for us.
Untarnished image of the Church, pray for us.
Woman transformed, pray for us.
Woman clothed with the sun, pray for us.
Woman crowned with stars, pray for us.
Gentle Lady, pray for us.
Gracious Lady, pray for us.
Our Lady, pray for us.
Joy of Israel, pray for us.
Splendor of the Church, pray for us.
Pride of the human race, pray for us.
Advocate of peace, pray for us.
Minister of holiness, pray for us.
Champion of God’s people, pray for us.
Queen of love, pray for us.
Queen of mercy, pray for us.
Queen of peace, pray for us.
Queen of angels, pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs and prophets, pray for us.
Queen of apostles and martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of confessors and virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us.
Queen of all the earth, pray for us.
Queen of heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the universe, pray for us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, spare us O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, hear us O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Pray for us O glorious Mother of the Lord, that we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.
God of mercy,
Listen to the prayers of your servants
Who have honored your handmaid Mary
As mother and queen;
Grant that by your holy grace
We may serve you and our neighbor on earth
And be welcomed into your eternal kingdom;
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Baptism of Christ" by Antoine Coypel
(Left-click the white slider bar in the mini picture, then drag the white slider bar left or right to find your preferred size — you might have to play with it because it’s a little tricky)
PRAYER: Invocation of the Holy Spirit ***REQUIRED***
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
And enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Lord, send forth your Spirit,
And you will renew the face of the earth.
O God,
Who instructs the hearts of your faithful
With the light of your Holy Spirit,
Make us responsive to his inspirations
So that we may be truly wise and
Ever rejoice in his consolations,
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Supper at Emmaus" by Peter Paul Rubens
SCRIPTURE: Philippians 2: 5-11 ***REQUIRED***
Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
SACRED ART: "Founder Statue of St. Louis de Montfort" by Giacomo Parsini
(Left-click once or twice on the picture to get a closer view)
REFLECTION BY ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT: The Secret of the Rosary (#65) ***REQUIRED***
The chief concern of the Christian should be to tend to perfection. Be faithful imitators of God as his well-beloved children, the great Apostle tells us…. Saint Gregory of Nyssa makes a delightful comparison when he says that we are all artists and that our souls are blank canvasses which we have to fill in. The colors which we use are the Christian virtues and the original which we have to copy is Jesus Christ, the perfect living image of God the Father. Just as a painter who wants to do a life-like portrait places the model before his eyes and looks at it before making each stroke, so the Christian must always have before his eyes the life and virtues of Jesus Christ, so as never to say, think or do anything which is not in conformity with his model.
QUESTIONS ***REQUIRED***
Having come this far, how do you feel? Are you ready to surrender yourself completely to Christ through the hands of Mary?
RESOLUTION ***REQUIRED***
Tomorrow, or during the next few days, make the Act of Total Consecration and honor the Blessed Virgin by means of a sacrifice, an almsgiving or of the saying of an extra rosary. Make a firm decision to remain faithful to the obligation of growing in this spirituality of consecration.
SACRED ART: "The Visitation" by Raphael and Giulio Romano or Giovanni Francesco Penni
(Either leave the picture as it is, or you may left-click on the minus sign once or twice in order to get a farther view)
PRAYER: Jesus Living in Mary ***REQUIRED***
O Jesus living in Mary,
Come and live in your servant,
In the Spirit of your holiness,
In the fullness of your gifts,
In the perfection of your ways,
In the truth of your virtues,
In the communion of your mysteries.
Subdue within me
The power of flesh and demon
By your Holy Spirit,
For the glory of God the father.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Resurrection" by Carl Bloch
https://www.wikiart.org/en/carl-bloch/resurrection-of-christ-1875
(Left-click twice on the picture to get a closer view)
PRAYER: Prayer of St. Augustine ***REQUIRED***
O Jesus Christ,
You are my father,
My merciful God,
My great king,
My good shepherd,
My only master,
My best helper,
My beloved friend
Of overwhelming beauty,
My living bread,
My eternal priest;
You are my guide
To my heavenly home,
My one true light,
My holy joy,
My true way,
My shining wisdom,
My unfeigned simplicity,
The peace and harmony
Of my soul,
My perfect safeguard,
My bounteous inheritance,
My everlasting salvation;
My loving Lord,
Jesus Christ,
Why have I ever loved or desired
Anything else in my life but you, my God?
Where was I
When I was not in communion with you?
From now on,
I direct all my desires
To be inspired by you
And centered on you;
I direct them to press forward
For they have tarried long enough,
To hasten towards their goal,
To seek the one they yearn for;
O Jesus,
Let him who does not love you
Be accursed,
And filled with bitterness;
O gentle Jesus,
Let every worthy feeling of mine
Show you love,
Take delight in you
And admire you;
O God of my heart
And my inheritance,
Christ Jesus,
May my heart mellow
Before the influence of your spirit
And may you live in me;
May the flame of your love
Burn in my soul;
May it burn incessantly
On the altar of my heart;
May it glow
In my innermost being;
May it spread its heat
Into the hidden recesses
Of my soul
And on the day
Of my consummation
May I appear before you
Consumed in your love.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Holy Family with St. Elizabeth and the Infant St. John the Baptist" by Pompeo Batoni
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Hermitagebatoniholyfamily.jpg
(Either leave the picture as it is, or you may left-click once on the picture to get a closer view)
PRAYER: Ave Maris Stella ***REQUIRED***
Hail, bright star of ocean,
God’s own Mother blest,
Ever sinless Virgin,
Gate of heavenly rest.
Taking that sweet Ave,
Which from Gabriel came,
Peace confirm within us,
Changing Eva’s name.
Break the captives’ fetters,
Light on blindness pour,
All our ills expelling,
Every bliss implore.
Show thyself a Mother;
May the the Word Divine,
Born for us thy Infant,
Hear our prayers through thine.
Virgin all excelling,
Mildest of the mild,
Freed from guilt, preserve us,
Pure and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless,
Make our way secure,
Till we find in Jesus,
Joy forevermore.
Through the highest heaven,
To the Almighty Three,
Father, Son, and Spirit,
One same glory be.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "Sacred Heart of Jesus" by Pompeo Batoni
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Heart_of_Jesus_(Batoni)#/media/File:SacredHeartBatoni.jpg
(Left-click once or twice on the picture to get a closer view)
PRAYER: Litany of the Sacred Heart ***REQUIRED***
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, Son of the eternal Father, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, one with the eternal Word, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, infinite in majesty, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, aflame with love for us, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, source of justice and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, wellspring of all virtue, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, treasure house of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom there dwells the fullness of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father is well pleased, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, from whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, desire of the eternal hills, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, patient and full of mercy, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, generous to all who turn to you, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, atonement for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with insults, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, broken for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, obedient even unto death, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, pierced by a lance, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, victim of our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, salvation of all who trust in you, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, hope of all who die in you, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Jesus, gentle and humble of heart,
Touch our hearts and make them like your own.
Father,
We rejoice in the gifts of love
We have received
From the heart of Jesus your Son;
Open our hearts to share his life
And continue to bless us
With his love.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "Pietà" by Michelangelo
(Left-click once or twice on the picture to see the painting at closer range)
PRAYER: Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary ***OPTIONAL***
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Most honored of virgins, pray for us.
Chosen daughter of the Father, pray for us.
Mother of Christ the King, pray for us.
Glory of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Virgin daughter of Zion, pray for us.
Virgin poor and humble, pray for us.
Virgin gentle and obedient, pray for us.
Handmaid of the Lord, pray for us.
Mother of the Lord, pray for us.
Helper of the Redeemer, pray for us.
Full of grace, pray for us.
Fountain of beauty, pray for us.
Model of virtue, pray for us.
Finest fruit of the redemption, pray for us.
Perfect disciple of Christ, pray for us.
Untarnished image of the Church, pray for us.
Woman transformed, pray for us.
Woman clothed with the sun, pray for us.
Woman crowned with stars, pray for us.
Gentle Lady, pray for us.
Gracious Lady, pray for us.
Our Lady, pray for us.
Joy of Israel, pray for us.
Splendor of the Church, pray for us.
Pride of the human race, pray for us.
Advocate of peace, pray for us.
Minister of holiness, pray for us.
Champion of God’s people, pray for us.
Queen of love, pray for us.
Queen of mercy, pray for us.
Queen of peace, pray for us.
Queen of angels, pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs and prophets, pray for us.
Queen of apostles and martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of confessors and virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us.
Queen of all the earth, pray for us.
Queen of heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the universe, pray for us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, spare us O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, hear us O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Pray for us O glorious Mother of the Lord, that we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.
God of mercy,
Listen to the prayers of your servants
Who have honored your handmaid Mary
As mother and queen;
Grant that by your holy grace
We may serve you and our neighbor on earth
And be welcomed into your eternal kingdom;
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Baptism of Christ" by Antoine Coypel
(Left-click the white slider bar in the mini picture, then drag the white slider bar left or right to find your preferred size — you might have to play with it because it’s a little tricky)
PRAYER: Invocation of the Holy Spirit ***REQUIRED***
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
And enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Lord, send forth your Spirit,
And you will renew the face of the earth.
O God,
Who instructs the hearts of your faithful
With the light of your Holy Spirit,
Make us responsive to his inspirations
So that we may be truly wise and
Ever rejoice in his consolations,
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Last Supper" by Juan de Juanes
SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26 ***REQUIRED***
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
SACRED ART: "Founder Statue of St. Louis de Montfort" by Giacomo Parsini
(Left-click once or twice on the picture to get a closer view)
REFLECTION BY ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT: The Love of Eternal Wisdom (#71) ***REQUIRED***
Eternal Wisdom, on the one hand, wished to prove his love for man by dying in his place in order to save him, but on the other hand, he could not bear the thought of leaving him. So he devised a marvelous way of dying and living at the same time, and of abiding with man until the end of time. So, in order to fully satisfy his love, he instituted the sacrament of Holy Eucharist and went to the extent of changing and overturning nature itself. He does not conceal himself under a sparkling diamond or some other precious stone, because he does not want to abide with man in an ostentatious manner. But he hides himself under the appearance of a small piece of bread — man’s ordinary nourishment — so that when received he might enter the heart of man and there take his delight. Ardenter amantium hoc est — Those who love ardently act in this way. “O Eternal Wisdom,” says a saint, “O God who is truly lavish with himself in his desire to be with man.”
QUESTIONS ***REQUIRED***
With what disposition and degree of attentiveness do you typically receive your Lord in Holy Communion? How frequently do you attend Mass and receive Communion? How much time do you spend praying before the Blessed Sacrament?
RESOLUTION ***REQUIRED***
Determine how you can receive Holy Communion with greater attention and devotion, and do so. If you are unable to receive Communion, determine what you are going to do to change this situation. And do it.
SACRED ART: "The Visitation" by Raphael and Giulio Romano or Giovanni Francesco Penni
(Either leave the picture as it is, or you may left-click on the minus sign once or twice in order to get a farther view)
PRAYER: Jesus Living in Mary ***REQUIRED***
O Jesus living in Mary,
Come and live in your servant,
In the Spirit of your holiness,
In the fullness of your gifts,
In the perfection of your ways,
In the truth of your virtues,
In the communion of your mysteries.
Subdue within me
The power of flesh and demon
By your Holy Spirit,
For the glory of God the father.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Resurrection" by Carl Bloch
https://www.wikiart.org/en/carl-bloch/resurrection-of-christ-1875
(Left-click twice on the picture to get a closer view)
PRAYER: Prayer of St. Augustine ***REQUIRED***
O Jesus Christ,
You are my father,
My merciful God,
My great king,
My good shepherd,
My only master,
My best helper,
My beloved friend
Of overwhelming beauty,
My living bread,
My eternal priest;
You are my guide
To my heavenly home,
My one true light,
My holy joy,
My true way,
My shining wisdom,
My unfeigned simplicity,
The peace and harmony
Of my soul,
My perfect safeguard,
My bounteous inheritance,
My everlasting salvation;
My loving Lord,
Jesus Christ,
Why have I ever loved or desired
Anything else in my life but you, my God?
Where was I
When I was not in communion with you?
From now on,
I direct all my desires
To be inspired by you
And centered on you;
I direct them to press forward
For they have tarried long enough,
To hasten towards their goal,
To seek the one they yearn for;
O Jesus,
Let him who does not love you
Be accursed,
And filled with bitterness;
O gentle Jesus,
Let every worthy feeling of mine
Show you love,
Take delight in you
And admire you;
O God of my heart
And my inheritance,
Christ Jesus,
May my heart mellow
Before the influence of your spirit
And may you live in me;
May the flame of your love
Burn in my soul;
May it burn incessantly
On the altar of my heart;
May it glow
In my innermost being;
May it spread its heat
Into the hidden recesses
Of my soul
And on the day
Of my consummation
May I appear before you
Consumed in your love.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "Pietà" by Michelangelo
(Left-click once or twice on the picture to see the painting at closer range)
PRAYER: Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary ***OPTIONAL***
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Most honored of virgins, pray for us.
Chosen daughter of the Father, pray for us.
Mother of Christ the King, pray for us.
Glory of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Virgin daughter of Zion, pray for us.
Virgin poor and humble, pray for us.
Virgin gentle and obedient, pray for us.
Handmaid of the Lord, pray for us.
Mother of the Lord, pray for us.
Helper of the Redeemer, pray for us.
Full of grace, pray for us.
Fountain of beauty, pray for us.
Model of virtue, pray for us.
Finest fruit of the redemption, pray for us.
Perfect disciple of Christ, pray for us.
Untarnished image of the Church, pray for us.
Woman transformed, pray for us.
Woman clothed with the sun, pray for us.
Woman crowned with stars, pray for us.
Gentle Lady, pray for us.
Gracious Lady, pray for us.
Our Lady, pray for us.
Joy of Israel, pray for us.
Splendor of the Church, pray for us.
Pride of the human race, pray for us.
Advocate of peace, pray for us.
Minister of holiness, pray for us.
Champion of God’s people, pray for us.
Queen of love, pray for us.
Queen of mercy, pray for us.
Queen of peace, pray for us.
Queen of angels, pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs and prophets, pray for us.
Queen of apostles and martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of confessors and virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us.
Queen of all the earth, pray for us.
Queen of heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the universe, pray for us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, spare us O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, hear us O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Pray for us O glorious Mother of the Lord, that we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.
God of mercy,
Listen to the prayers of your servants
Who have honored your handmaid Mary
As mother and queen;
Grant that by your holy grace
We may serve you and our neighbor on earth
And be welcomed into your eternal kingdom;
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Baptism of Christ" by Antoine Coypel
(Left-click the white slider bar in the mini picture, then drag the white slider bar left or right to find your preferred size — you might have to play with it because it’s a little tricky)
PRAYER: Invocation of the Holy Spirit ***REQUIRED***
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
And enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Lord, send forth your Spirit,
And you will renew the face of the earth.
O God,
Who instructs the hearts of your faithful
With the light of your Holy Spirit,
Make us responsive to his inspirations
So that we may be truly wise and
Ever rejoice in his consolations,
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Crucified Christ" by Diego Velázquez
(For optimal viewing, click once on the minus sign to the right)
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 53: 3-12 ***REQUIRED***
He was spurned and avoided by men,
a man of suffering, knowing pain,
Like one from whom you turn your face,
spurned, and we held him in no esteem.
Yet it was our pain that he bore,
our sufferings he endured.
We thought of him as stricken,
struck down by God and afflicted,
But he was pierced for our sins,
crushed for our iniquity.
He bore the punishment that makes us whole,
by his wounds we were healed.
We had all gone astray like sheep,
all following our own way;
But the LORD laid upon him
the guilt of us all.
Though harshly treated, he submitted
and did not open his mouth;
Like a lamb led to slaughter
or a sheep silent before shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
Seized and condemned, he was taken away.
Who would have thought any more of his destiny?
For he was cut off from the land of the living,
struck for the sins of his people.
He was given a grave among the wicked,
a burial place with evildoers,
Though he had done no wrong,
nor was deceit found in his mouth.
But it was the LORD’s will to crush him with pain.
By making his life as a reparation offering,
he shall see his offspring, shall lengthen his days,
and the LORD’s will shall be accomplished through him.
Because of his anguish he shall see the light;
because of his knowledge he shall be content;
My servant, the just one, shall justify the many,
their iniquity he shall bear.
Therefore I will give him his portion among the many,
and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty,
Because he surrendered himself to death,
was counted among the transgressors,
Bore the sins of many,
and interceded for the transgressors.
SACRED ART: "Founder Statue of St. Louis de Montfort" by Giacomo Parsini
(Left-click once or twice on the picture to get a closer view)
REFLECTION BY ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT: Letter to the Friends of the Cross ***REQUIRED***
Reflect on the wounds and sufferings of Christ crucified. He himself has told us, All you who pass by the way of thorns and the cross, look and see. Look with the eyes of your body, and see through the eyes of your contemplation whether your poverty, destitution, disgrace, sorrow, desolation are like mine; look upon me who am innocent, and lament, you who are guilty! The Holy Spirit tells us, through the Apostles, to contemplate the crucified Christ. He bids us arm ourselves with this thought, for it is the most powerful and formidable weapon against our enemies. When you are assailed by poverty, disrepute, sorrow, temptation, and other crosses, arm yourselves with the shield, breastplate, helmet and two-edged sword, which is the remembrance of Christ crucified. It is there you will find the solution of every problem and the means to conquer all your enemies.
RESOLUTION ***REQUIRED***
Dedicate time today to making a thorough examination of conscience and to recognizing that your sins cause the suffering of Christ. Ask the Lord for a genuine horror of sin and its consequences. Go to confession before making the Act of Total Consecration.
SACRED ART: "The Visitation" by Raphael and Giulio Romano or Giovanni Francesco Penni
(Either leave the picture as it is, or you may left-click on the minus sign once or twice in order to get a farther view)
PRAYER: Jesus Living in Mary ***REQUIRED***
O Jesus living in Mary,
Come and live in your servant,
In the Spirit of your holiness,
In the fullness of your gifts,
In the perfection of your ways,
In the truth of your virtues,
In the communion of your mysteries.
Subdue within me
The power of flesh and demon
By your Holy Spirit,
For the glory of God the father.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Resurrection" by Carl Bloch
https://www.wikiart.org/en/carl-bloch/resurrection-of-christ-1875
(Left-click twice on the picture to get a closer view)
PRAYER: Prayer of St. Augustine ***REQUIRED***
O Jesus Christ,
You are my father,
My merciful God,
My great king,
My good shepherd,
My only master,
My best helper,
My beloved friend
Of overwhelming beauty,
My living bread,
My eternal priest;
You are my guide
To my heavenly home,
My one true light,
My holy joy,
My true way,
My shining wisdom,
My unfeigned simplicity,
The peace and harmony
Of my soul,
My perfect safeguard,
My bounteous inheritance,
My everlasting salvation;
My loving Lord,
Jesus Christ,
Why have I ever loved or desired
Anything else in my life but you, my God?
Where was I
When I was not in communion with you?
From now on,
I direct all my desires
To be inspired by you
And centered on you;
I direct them to press forward
For they have tarried long enough,
To hasten towards their goal,
To seek the one they yearn for;
O Jesus,
Let him who does not love you
Be accursed,
And filled with bitterness;
O gentle Jesus,
Let every worthy feeling of mine
Show you love,
Take delight in you
And admire you;
O God of my heart
And my inheritance,
Christ Jesus,
May my heart mellow
Before the influence of your spirit
And may you live in me;
May the flame of your love
Burn in my soul;
May it burn incessantly
On the altar of my heart;
May it glow
In my innermost being;
May it spread its heat
Into the hidden recesses
Of my soul
And on the day
Of my consummation
May I appear before you
Consumed in your love.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "Pietà" by Michelangelo
(Left-click once or twice on the picture to see the painting at closer range)
PRAYER: Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary ***OPTIONAL***
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Most honored of virgins, pray for us.
Chosen daughter of the Father, pray for us.
Mother of Christ the King, pray for us.
Glory of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Virgin daughter of Zion, pray for us.
Virgin poor and humble, pray for us.
Virgin gentle and obedient, pray for us.
Handmaid of the Lord, pray for us.
Mother of the Lord, pray for us.
Helper of the Redeemer, pray for us.
Full of grace, pray for us.
Fountain of beauty, pray for us.
Model of virtue, pray for us.
Finest fruit of the redemption, pray for us.
Perfect disciple of Christ, pray for us.
Untarnished image of the Church, pray for us.
Woman transformed, pray for us.
Woman clothed with the sun, pray for us.
Woman crowned with stars, pray for us.
Gentle Lady, pray for us.
Gracious Lady, pray for us.
Our Lady, pray for us.
Joy of Israel, pray for us.
Splendor of the Church, pray for us.
Pride of the human race, pray for us.
Advocate of peace, pray for us.
Minister of holiness, pray for us.
Champion of God’s people, pray for us.
Queen of love, pray for us.
Queen of mercy, pray for us.
Queen of peace, pray for us.
Queen of angels, pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs and prophets, pray for us.
Queen of apostles and martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of confessors and virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us.
Queen of all the earth, pray for us.
Queen of heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the universe, pray for us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, spare us O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, hear us O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Pray for us O glorious Mother of the Lord, that we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.
God of mercy,
Listen to the prayers of your servants
Who have honored your handmaid Mary
As mother and queen;
Grant that by your holy grace
We may serve you and our neighbor on earth
And be welcomed into your eternal kingdom;
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Baptism of Christ" by Antoine Coypel
(Left-click the white slider bar in the mini picture, then drag the white slider bar left or right to find your preferred size — you might have to play with it because it’s a little tricky)
PRAYER: Invocation of the Holy Spirit ***REQUIRED***
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
And enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Lord, send forth your Spirit,
And you will renew the face of the earth.
O God,
Who instructs the hearts of your faithful
With the light of your Holy Spirit,
Make us responsive to his inspirations
So that we may be truly wise and
Ever rejoice in his consolations,
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Crucified Christ" by Diego Velázquez
(For optimal viewing, click once on the minus sign to the right)
SCRIPTURE: Mark 8: 31-33 ***REQUIRED***
He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
SACRED ART: "Founder Statue of St. Louis de Montfort" by Giacomo Parsini
(Left-click once or twice on the picture to get a closer view)
REFLECTION BY ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT: The Love of Eternal Wisdom (#169) ***REQUIRED***
Incarnate Wisdom loved the Cross from his infancy. At his coming into the world, while in his Mother’s womb, he received it from his eternal Father. He placed it deep in his heart, there to dominate his life, saying, “My God and my Father, I chose this Cross when I was in your bosom. I choose it now in the womb of my Mother. I love it with all my strength and I place it deep within my heart to be my spouse and my mistress.”
RESOLUTION ***REQUIRED***
In your prayer today, ask the Lord, through the intercession of Mary, for the grace of a genuine love for the Cross.
SACRED ART: "The Visitation" by Raphael and Giulio Romano or Giovanni Francesco Penni
(Either leave the picture as it is, or you may left-click on the minus sign once or twice in order to get a farther view)
PRAYER: Jesus Living in Mary ***REQUIRED***
O Jesus living in Mary,
Come and live in your servant,
In the Spirit of your holiness,
In the fullness of your gifts,
In the perfection of your ways,
In the truth of your virtues,
In the communion of your mysteries.
Subdue within me
The power of flesh and demon
By your Holy Spirit,
For the glory of God the father.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Resurrection" by Carl Bloch
https://www.wikiart.org/en/carl-bloch/resurrection-of-christ-1875
(Left-click twice on the picture to get a closer view)
PRAYER: Prayer of St. Augustine ***REQUIRED***
O Jesus Christ,
You are my father,
My merciful God,
My great king,
My good shepherd,
My only master,
My best helper,
My beloved friend
Of overwhelming beauty,
My living bread,
My eternal priest;
You are my guide
To my heavenly home,
My one true light,
My holy joy,
My true way,
My shining wisdom,
My unfeigned simplicity,
The peace and harmony
Of my soul,
My perfect safeguard,
My bounteous inheritance,
My everlasting salvation;
My loving Lord,
Jesus Christ,
Why have I ever loved or desired
Anything else in my life but you, my God?
Where was I
When I was not in communion with you?
From now on,
I direct all my desires
To be inspired by you
And centered on you;
I direct them to press forward
For they have tarried long enough,
To hasten towards their goal,
To seek the one they yearn for;
O Jesus,
Let him who does not love you
Be accursed,
And filled with bitterness;
O gentle Jesus,
Let every worthy feeling of mine
Show you love,
Take delight in you
And admire you;
O God of my heart
And my inheritance,
Christ Jesus,
May my heart mellow
Before the influence of your spirit
And may you live in me;
May the flame of your love
Burn in my soul;
May it burn incessantly
On the altar of my heart;
May it glow
In my innermost being;
May it spread its heat
Into the hidden recesses
Of my soul
And on the day
Of my consummation
May I appear before you
Consumed in your love.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "Pietà" by Michelangelo
(Left-click once or twice on the picture to see the painting at closer range)
PRAYER: Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary ***OPTIONAL***
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Most honored of virgins, pray for us.
Chosen daughter of the Father, pray for us.
Mother of Christ the King, pray for us.
Glory of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Virgin daughter of Zion, pray for us.
Virgin poor and humble, pray for us.
Virgin gentle and obedient, pray for us.
Handmaid of the Lord, pray for us.
Mother of the Lord, pray for us.
Helper of the Redeemer, pray for us.
Full of grace, pray for us.
Fountain of beauty, pray for us.
Model of virtue, pray for us.
Finest fruit of the redemption, pray for us.
Perfect disciple of Christ, pray for us.
Untarnished image of the Church, pray for us.
Woman transformed, pray for us.
Woman clothed with the sun, pray for us.
Woman crowned with stars, pray for us.
Gentle Lady, pray for us.
Gracious Lady, pray for us.
Our Lady, pray for us.
Joy of Israel, pray for us.
Splendor of the Church, pray for us.
Pride of the human race, pray for us.
Advocate of peace, pray for us.
Minister of holiness, pray for us.
Champion of God’s people, pray for us.
Queen of love, pray for us.
Queen of mercy, pray for us.
Queen of peace, pray for us.
Queen of angels, pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs and prophets, pray for us.
Queen of apostles and martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of confessors and virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us.
Queen of all the earth, pray for us.
Queen of heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the universe, pray for us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, spare us O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, hear us O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Pray for us O glorious Mother of the Lord, that we may become worthy of the promises of Christ.
God of mercy,
Listen to the prayers of your servants
Who have honored your handmaid Mary
As mother and queen;
Grant that by your holy grace
We may serve you and our neighbor on earth
And be welcomed into your eternal kingdom;
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Baptism of Christ" by Antoine Coypel
(Left-click the white slider bar in the mini picture, then drag the white slider bar left or right to find your preferred size — you might have to play with it because it’s a little tricky)
PRAYER: Invocation of the Holy Spirit ***REQUIRED***
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
And enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Lord, send forth your Spirit,
And you will renew the face of the earth.
O God,
Who instructs the hearts of your faithful
With the light of your Holy Spirit,
Make us responsive to his inspirations
So that we may be truly wise and
Ever rejoice in his consolations,
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "Jesus in the Temple" by Heinrich Hofmann
https://mariateresadebracamonte.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/2jesus_in_the_temple_hofmann.jpg
SCRIPTURE: Luke 2: 51-52 ***REQUIRED***
He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced [in] wisdom and age and favor before God and man.
SACRED ART: "Founder Statue of St. Louis de Montfort" by Giacomo Parsini
(Left-click once or twice on the picture to get a closer view)
REFLECTION BY ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT: True Devotion to Mary (#139) ***REQUIRED***
Our good Master stooped to enclose himself in the womb of the Blessed Virgin, a captive but loving slave, and to make himself subject to her for thirty years. The human mind is bewildered when it reflects seriously upon this conduct of Incarnate Wisdom. He did not choose to give himself in a direct manner to the human race though he could easily have done so. He chose to come through the Virgin Mary. Thus he did not come into the world independently of others in the flower of his manhood, but he came as a frail little child dependent on the care and attention of his Mother. Consumed with the desire to give glory to God, his Father, and save the human race, he saw no better or shorter way to do so than by submitting completely to Mary. He did this not just for the first eight, ten or fifteen years of his life like other children, but for thirty years. He gave more glory to God, his Father, during all those years of submission and dependence than he would have given by spending them working miracles, preaching far and wide, and converting all mankind. Otherwise he would have done these things. What immeasurable glory then do we give to God when, following the example of Jesus, we submit to Mary! With such a convincing and well-known example before us, can we be so foolish as to believe there is a better and shorter way of giving God glory than by submitting ourselves to Mary as Jesus did?
QUESTIONS ***REQUIRED***
Are you an obedient person? Or rebellious? Are you a person who is faithful? Or unfaithful? Can you submit yourself to Mary like Jesus and with Jesus? Can you surrender your own will, like Jesus, to comply with the will of God?
SACRED ART: "The Visitation" by Raphael and Giulio Romano or Giovanni Francesco Penni
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PRAYER: Jesus Living in Mary ***REQUIRED***
O Jesus living in Mary,
Come and live in your servant,
In the Spirit of your holiness,
In the fullness of your gifts,
In the perfection of your ways,
In the truth of your virtues,
In the communion of your mysteries.
Subdue within me
The power of flesh and demon
By your Holy Spirit,
For the glory of God the father.
Amen.
SACRED ART: "The Resurrection" by Carl Bloch
https://www.wikiart.org/en/carl-bloch/resurrection-of-christ-1875
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PRAYER: Prayer of St. Augustine ***REQUIRED***
O Jesus Christ,
You are my father,
My merciful God,
My great king,
My good shepherd,
My only master,
My best helper,
My beloved friend
Of overwhelming beauty,
My living bread,
My eternal priest;
You are my guide
To my heavenly home,
My one true light,
My holy joy,
My true way,
My shining wisdom,
My unfeigned simplicity,
The peace and harmony
Of my soul,
My perfect safeguard,
My bounteous inheritance,
My everlasting salvation;
My loving Lord,
Jesus Christ,
Why have I ever loved or desired
Anything else in my life but you, my God?
Where was I
When I was not in communion with you?
From now on,
I direct all my desires
To be inspired by you
And centered on you;
I direct them to press forward
For they have tarried long enough,
To hasten towards their goal,
To seek the one they yearn for;
O Jesus,
Let him who does not love you
Be accursed,
And filled with bitterness;
O gentle Jesus,
Let every worthy feeling of mine
Show you love,
Take delight in you
And admire you;
O God of my heart
And my inheritance,
Christ Jesus,
May my heart mellow
Before the influence of your spirit
And may you live in me;
May the flame of your love
Burn in my soul;
May it burn incessantly
On the altar of my heart;
May it glow
In my innermost being;
May it spread its heat
Into the hidden recesses
Of my soul
And on the day
Of my consummation
May I appear before you
Consumed in your love.
Amen.