St. John's Adoration Chapel

St. John's Adoration Chapel
"Do Not Fear: I am with you. From here I will cast light Be sorry for sin."

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Mary Queen of Apostles

 


Mary Queen of the Apostles

~From the Voice of the Founder (July-September 2020)

  

There are many prayers composed by the Founder to honor Mary, Queen of Apostles. Among these is the Chaplet to the Queen of the Apostles, centered around five moments brimming with love and apostolic sensitivity, which suggest the mysteries of a rosary and is also called:

                                 “the Queen of the Apostles Rosary”

 1st mystery:-- The annunciation and Jesus’ birth: Most loving Queen of heaven and of earth…, I honor and praise you for your unique privilege. You pleased God in your humility, faith, and virginity, and He granted you the privilege of becoming the great Mother of the Divine Savior, our Master, true Light of the world, infinite Wisdom, Source of all truth and first Apostle of truth.

 2nd mystery:-- Jesus’ Passion and Death: Mary, Queen of all the angels…, remember that painful and solemn moment in which the dying Jesus from the cross gave you John as your son, and in him, all humanity and especially all the apostles.

 3rd mystery:-- The coming of the Holy Spirit at the Cenacle: Virgin most pure…, rejoice for the days in which you were Teacher, Comforter and Mother of the apostles in the Cenacle to invoke and receive the Divine Paraclete, the Spirit with the seven gifts, Love of the Father and of the Son, Transformer of the apostles.

 4th mystery:-- Mary’s Assumption: Our tender Mother Mary…, I recall the blessed moment in which you left the earth to fly to the loving embrace of Jesus. It was the omnipotent favor of God which assumed and glorified you in body and soul.

 5th mystery:--Crowning of the Virgin Mary: Mary, Star of the Sea, our life and Queen of peace…, how great and how wonderful was the day on which the august Trinity crowned you Queen of heaven and earth, dispenser of all graces, our most lovable Mother.

Mary, Queen of the Apostles…Pray for us.


Saturday, August 22, 2020

HAIL HOLY QUEEN

 

HAIL HOLY QUEEN

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy,
hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you we cry, the children of Eve;
to you we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this land of exile.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us;
lead us home at last
and show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus:
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.



Thursday, August 13, 2020

SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN

 



SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN

© Marlicia Fernandez  8-13-20

 

“Then Peter came up and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.’”

                                                                                                         ~Matthew 18: 21-22 (RSV-CE)

 

 Not seven times, but seventy times seven times!  Seventy times seven represents infinity, so Jesus is telling Peter, and us, that we must forgive our brother, or sister,  an infinite number of times—as often as they request it.  That’s a tall order. Can it be possible?

Forgiveness is hard. Asking for forgiveness can be even harder.  It is hard, but not impossible.  Each requires openness and humility of heart.  Each requires understanding and acceptance of our own brokenness, and of our, “there, if not for the grace of God, go I” truth. Still we make excuses and play the blame game.  No one likes to be in the wrong and no one likes to have their efforts at reconciliation rebuffed.  Protective barriers are easier, and less risky to erect than opening oneself up to possible ridicule, rejection, or worse yet, outright dismissal.   The thing is, the same barriers that protect, also divide and isolate; both from each other, and in some cases, even from God.  Humility and the willingness to admit our need, either to forgive or be forgiven is necessary to heal the wounds and mend the fences damaged by intentional or unintentional slights.  Wounded pride has no place here. Humility is key.  God is merciful, so should we be.

Okay, fine, but it isn’t always easy.  

True. I’d be willing to bet that for the majority of people, it’s rarely, if ever, easy.  There are some who would rather pretend that nothing ever happened, even as resentment and frustration fill them or, at the extreme, relationships fall apart.  It’s frightening to see how easily a grudge, held onto, can ruin a life.  Then there are those who are afraid to ask for forgiveness because, for whatever reason, they believe they will be denied their request, or made to feel foolish.  They venture nothing and so they receive nothing. And the damage remains. 

I think most people have fallen into one camp or the other at some time in their lives, and yet, despite our common experiences, we still find it hard to open ourselves up, to be vulnerable and humble…to trust and believe that our vulnerability will be protected and our trust will be validated.  So we pull in on ourselves.  That’s not what Jesus wants us to do.  When he taught us how to pray, he made forgiveness ‘conditional’.   

“Conditional.”  Yikes! 

Yeah. That sounds a little intimidating, maybe even a little frightening, but upon closer examination it’s not as scary as it might seem.  All it means is: if we want to be forgiven, we must also forgive, and forgive from the heart. 

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…”

                                                                                       ~The Lord’s Prayer 

I wonder how many times those words just roll off our tongues as we pray, with no real thought behind them. I’m ashamed to say that for me, more times than I can count.  They’re just part of the prayer, but it’s important that I pay attention to what the Lord is teaching us, because He takes us at our word.   

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…” 

  It sounds easy when Our Blessed Lord says it. That’s deceptive, but the “condition” remains clear none-the-less.  If I don’t forgive others when they ask, I won’t be pardoned, not only by the person I’ve offended, but by God whom I have offended multiple times and upon Whose mercy and love I trust and depend upon. 

It doesn’t help that at present there is a disturbing trend to communicate without thinking, or worse yet to speak, or act, in a way calculated to hurt others for whatever reason. In this climate it can be difficult to determine if the slight received was accidental or intentional, which can make it hard to forgive and forget. If a person does gather up the courage to apologize, or ask forgiveness in this climate, they are just as likely to be refused as they are to be acknowledged or forgiven.  The hurt remains and festers and the bonds are still broken.  Everybody suffers. Nobody wins. 

I wish I could say that I always forgive from the heart and that I do not hesitate to ask for forgiveness when I’ve injured another.  Unfortunately, I have discovered I’m not as good at forgiving as I like to think. Over sensitivity and lack of true humility on my part are the culprits.  I can say the words with the will to mean them, even if they are accompanied by the occasional grimace, and things will seem to get back to normal.  Life goes on without issue, that is until an argument or disagreement occurs, or I feel unappreciated or sorry for myself.  Grudges I don’t even realize I’ve carried surface.  I thought I’d forgive from the heart and forgotten…at least that was my intent, but…there they are, mocking me, stirring up resentment and annoyance all over again! I can only offer a prayer for the one I thought I’d forgiven and for myself and hope that God sees the intention and recognizes my effort and my weakness.   I hope He will forgive based on my intent, not my success.  

I have hope for that whenever I look at the crucifix.  There he hangs, where he allowed me to nail him with my sins, for love of me.  He forgave me, even though he knew my weakness.  He forgave me even before I knew I needed forgiving. He forgave me even before I existed.  That is a comforting thought.

While my desire to receive God’s mercy and forgiveness so that I can spend eternity in Heaven with Him is a very important reason to forgive others, it is not the only one.  Being at odds with our brothers and sisters, with our spouses, neighbors, friends and coworkers is detrimental to our physical, mental and emotional health and well-being, here and now, in our present life.  Everything becomes more difficult when done under stress.  Learning to forgive and ask for forgiveness heals wounds, mends fences and reestablishes peace, trust, mutual respect and joy in our day to day living.  Who doesn’t want that? 

“…Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.’”                                                                                                        

Can I get and “Amen”?


Monday, July 27, 2020

The Way to Sanctity





My way to sanctity is different from anyone else’s way to sanctity.  The only commonality is that I do the will of God for me-which is most likely not the will of God for someone else.

What do You want of me, Lord?  Show me my path to sanctity and help me to follow it.

Monday, July 20, 2020

A Prayer...




A Prayer

Jesus Master, I humble myself for my many personal faults and for those which others have committed because of my bad example and negligence in my duties.

My Jesus, grant me the grace to keep others from sinning, as much as I am able, with actions, example, word, and prayer.


~Blessed James Alberione (St Paul for Every Day of the year-July 20)



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Friday, July 17, 2020

If God is With Me...




Oh, Lord, if You are with me, who can be against me? If You help me, I will not fear what men can do to me.  Grant me the grace to preserve the peace and tranquility of spirit in the midst of tribulations, contradictions and calumnies. I place all my trust in You, O Lord. Infuse the virtue of patience in my heart.

~Imitation of Christ.




Sunday, July 5, 2020

A Prayer for a Closer Union With Jesus




Prayer for a Closer Union With Jesus


Jesus, reveal Your Sacred Heart to me and show me its attractions. Unite me to it forever. Grant that all my desires and every beat of my heart, which does not cease even while I sleep, may be a witness to You of my love for You and tell You: Yes Lord, I am Yours!  The pledge of my loyalty to You rests ever in my heart and shall never cease to be there. Accept the little good that I do and be pleased to make up for all my wrongdoing so that I may e able to praise You in time and in eternity. Amen

~Voice of the Founder April – June 2020

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

A Prayer...

Prayer

God of peace, preserve in the hearts of men of good will Your gift of peace. Heal the wounds of hatred in the hearts of those who have lost this peace, and grant that reconciliation replace strife.

~St Paul for EVERY DAY of the year: June 23, pg 269

Sunday, June 7, 2020

Consecration of the Family to Mary





CONSECRATION OF THE FAMILY TO MARY

Come, O Mary, enter and dwell in this house, which we offer and consecrate to you. You are welcome: we receive you with joy as your children. We are unworthy, but you are so good that you willingly establish your dwelling among your weakest children. We receive you with the love with which John took you into his home after the death of your Son, Jesus, Distribute to each of us the spiritual graces that are most needed, as you brought them to the house of Zechariah.

Grant the material graces, just as you obtained for the bride and groom at Cana the transformation of the water into wine. Keep us far from sin. Be light, joy, and sanctification, as you were in the family of Nazareth. Be our Mother, Teacher and Queen. Increase in us faith, hope and charity. Infuse in us the spirit of prayer.

May Jesus, Way, Truth and Life always dwell here! Raise up vocations among our loved ones. Grant that all the members of this family may one day be reunited in heaven. Amen

~Blessed James Alberione