Week 5, Day 2
Daily Prayer
Ave Maris Stella (Hail Star of the Sea)
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 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.
Jesus, Our Hope
Scripture Reading from Judith 16:13-16 – Let all creatures serve the Lord
Obeying the Will of the Father
Jesus was sent by the Father to the world, and he passed on to us everything that the Father gave to him. One of the main goals of the Christian life is to forget yourself and put on Christ. When we are born, everything is about us; our world seems to revolve around us entirely. But as we grow up, we need to gradually move beyond this view, grow less selfish, and eventually become more concerned about others than ourselves.
What is the best way to think about others instead of yourself? Start with little things, like washing the dishes, picking up dirty clothes off the floor, opening the door for someone – all without being asked.
When we live according to God’s plan for us, we will find the most joy and peace. God wants what is best for us. He is the perfect Father and would never give us something that would harm us. He only wants what will bring us the greatest joy. But it may happen that we do not understand how something that we can’t see or don’t want can be the very best thing for us. Times like that are when we most need to turn in prayer to the Father and ask for understanding, faith, and hope.
The communion of saints is the relationship we share on earth with the people who have died and gone to Heaven. But it is also a phrase we use to describe the relationship we share with fellow Christians still alive on earth. The beautiful thing about the communion of saints among Christians on earth is that each holy person is striving to follow the will of God. In order to be in Heaven with God, we must be perfectly conformed to the will of God. When we ask Mary and other saints to help us in the struggles of life here on earth, we know that we too will be able to follow the will of God.
Who is your favorite saint to pray to for help? Why?
St. Anthony is the patron saint of many things, but the one he is best known for is for finding lost things. One quick and easy prayer is “St. Anthony, St. Anthony, please come round. Something’s lost and cannot be found.” St. Anthony has helped many people find things that were lost. Many times these things were found in places where someone had already searched.
St. Gerard Majella is the patron saint of pregnant women.
We pray to various saints just as we ask a good friend, or someone who has been through a similar difficult situation, to pray for us. Saints are those who have run the race successfully and are with God in Heaven. They will help us perfect our prayer and ask God on our behalf to help us through our times of trial.
When your prayers are answered, be sure thank God and the saint whom you asked to intercede on your behalf.
Daily Pious Practice Reminder
- Visit Christ in the Blessed Sacrament once per day.
Closing Prayer
Father, source of all goodness, you ask us to be obedient to your call in our lives, seeing it as a gift of your love. Through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, may we learn to only desire what you desire for us. May Our Lady help us to respond eagerly to whatever you ask, and may she help us to be completely surrendered to your will in our lives. Through Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Saint Joseph and Jesus
Comments?