Deacon Ward...Weekly Musings of our Catholic Faith and Parish Life
~St. André Bessette Parish~
J * M * J Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
I give you my heart, I give you my life.
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Deacon Ward's Weekly Message
May 19, 2024 - May 26, 2024
Deacon Ward's Almost Daily Message
How fortunate and blessed we are for our faith!
Yesterday, we celebrated the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles...God's gift of the love between the Father and the Son. It is that same love that we share with them...and with our neighbor. As we continue our journey in faith together, let us call upon the love and wisdom of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us, each and every day, until our last breath.
And not only do we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit... the love between the Father and the Son... within that love we also receive the seven gifts of:
Wisdom
Understanding
Counsel
Knowledge
Fortitude
Piety
Fear of the Lord
...and a beautiful prayer to the Holy Spirit...
"Father of light, from whom every good gift comes, send your Spirit into our lives
with the power of a mighty wind,
and by the flame of your wisdom
open the horizons of our minds.
Loosen our tongues to sing your praise in words beyond the power of speech, for without your spirit man could never raise his voice in words of peace
or announce the truth that Jesus is Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever." Amen.
My Thought for today...
Now that we have celebrated Pentecost I think it's important to think about what's happening around us and around the world; we cannot ignore it.
This is the time we need to pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance to work toward a society where justice, peace and charity may be shared with all God's children.
There is evil everywhere.
We must look inward to identify sinful attitudes and judgments that must be set right.
Our laws and policies must do more to protect the fundamental rights of those at risk.
Bishop Lori of Baltimore said, "All who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ are obligated to work relentlessly to defeat the painful and persistent reality of racism in every instance and wherever it is manifested." As Christians, it is for us to be bold.
Monday, May 20, we celebrate the
Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church (New 2018)
The joyous veneration given to the Mother of God by the contemporary Church, in light of reflection on the mystery of Christ and on his nature, cannot ignore the figure of a woman (cf. Gal 4:4), the Virgin Mary, who is both the Mother of Christ and Mother of the Church.
Let us pray:
O God, Father of mercies, whose Only Begotten Son, as he hung upon the Cross, chose the Blessed Virgin Mary, his Mother, to be our Mother also, grant, we pray, that with her loving help your Church may be more fruitful day by day and, exulting in the holiness of her children, may draw to her embrace all the families of the peoples. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Happy June to everyone. I hope the snow stays away this month... ⛄...you never know in Vermont!
Let's begin this new month remembering to keep all of our priests in our prayers.
The next time you encounter a priest, tell them how much you appreciate them and that you are praying for them...know that they're always praying for you!
Let's also pray for Bishop-elect John McDermott.
We extend our sincerest, prayerful appreciation to Pope Francis for appointing Monsignor McDermott to shepherd our diocese.
...let us pray:
"Eternal Father...We lift up to you these and all the priests of the world. Sanctify them, heal and guide them, mold them into the likeness and holiness of your Son, Jesus the eternal high priest. May their lives be pleasing to you, and in Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen."
*******Place This Date On Your Fridge*******
Mondays, 9:00 AM! Join me for
Holy Adoration and Morning Prayers
(Sacred Heart of Jesus Church)
If you have any questions or if you would like me to bring something to this weekly message to share...please feel encouraged to let me know...keep those cards and letters coming in! Thank You!