Now Playing: AFROCENTRICJOYFUL MYSTERIES ROSARY, CHAPLET DIVINEMERCY, DIVINE OFFICE
Topic: Prophecy Meditation
20 JULY PROPHECY WARNING MEDITATIONS FOR AFRICAN DIASPORA CHRISTIANS --BLACK CATHOLICS, COPTICS, AND ORTHODOX LITURGICAL CHURCHES IN THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST
Black, African Saints Spirituality, Black Catholics, Coptic, Orthodox Christians in Africa, the Caribbean, Oceania, South Pacific Rim, Micronesia, Polynesia, Melanesia, Solomons, Marianas, Society and Marshall Islands, New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Palau, Tuvulu, Nauru, Australia and New Zealand.
PROPHECY WARNINGS MEDITATIONS FOR ORIENTAL BRANCHES OF BLACK CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS--LATIN, COPTIC, AND ORTHODOX RITES IN THE AFRICAN HISTORIC AND GEOLOGIC DIASPORA.
BLACK CATHOLIC GOSPEL RADIO (Afrocentric Rosary, Stations of Cross, Chaplet of Divine Mercy)
MORE BLACK CATHOLIC GOSPEL RADIO
DEVOTIONS, PRAYERS FOR THE LITURGICAL CHURCHES AND ALL OTHER CHRISTIANS WHO SO DESIRE (INCLUDING LUTHERAN, EPISCOPALIAN, ANGLICAN, AND OTHER MEMBERS IN THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST –ALL CHRISTIANITY COMBINED):
SAID YOUR ROSARY, OR CHAPLET DIVINE MERCY TODAY? YOU CAN, HERE…
Afrocentric Rosary Mysteries by the Los Angeles St. Brigid Traditional Choir. Afrocentric Chaplets Divine Mercy moderated by James Wesly Smith
Pray the Joyful Mysteries on Monday and Saturday, the Luminous Mysteries on Thursday, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesday and Friday, and the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesday and Sunday (with this exception: Sundays of Christmas season - The Joyful; Sundays of Lent – Sorrowful. Mysteries/Meditations are events in the Life of Yeshua(Jesus)!
See: HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY DEVOTIONS MEMORY OF OUR LORD’S LIFE
SATURDAY/MONDAY- Joyful Mysteries of Rosary
CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY
Daily Afrocentric Chaplet Divine Mercy PT I
Daily Afrocentric Chaplet Divine Mercy PT II
Daily Afrocentric Chaplet Divine Mercy PTlII
The Divine Office (Full Daily Liturgy of the Hours) Daily prayer by listening!
FULL LITURGY OF THE HOURS AND DIVINE OFFICE
Paste in your browser:
http://divineoffice.org:80/
All power to those publishers who bring one of the most important prayers to the AFRICAN DIASPORA
We suggest and encourage you support them, as indicated on their website.
From Our Lord and Savior, Yeshua, and Blessed Mother Maryam... As you know they were homeless in Kemet (Egypt) for several years, while avoiding Herod’s 10 assassins. They don’t desire you to be… so presented:
Free Foreclosure News (but always update the information and seek competent advice (such as One LA in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area) from the HUD/HOPE/FHA MAKE HOME AFFORDABLE sources listed:
WEBSITE: Free Foreclosure News (but always update the information and seek competent advice (such as One LA in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area) from the HUD/HOPE/FHA MAKE HOME AFFORDABLE sources listed:
WEBSITE:
GETTING YOUR MONEY BACK-OR TRY TO INFORMATION
OR PAST IN BROWSER:
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/LoanModScamsGetYourMoneyBack.html
Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary Protectress of Africa
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Protectress of Africa, you have given to the world the true Light, Jesus Christ. Through your obedience to the Father and the grace of the Holy Spirit, you have given us the source of our reconciliation and our justice, Jesus Christ, our peace and our joy.
Mother of Tenderness and Wisdom, show us Jesus, your Son and the Son of God. Guide our path of conversion, so that Jesus might shine his glory on us in every aspect of our personal, familial and social lives.
Mother, full of Mercy and Justice, through your docility to the Spirit, the Counselor, obtain for us the grace to be witnesses of the Risen Lord, so that we will increasingly become the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
Mother of Perpetual Help, we entrust to your maternal intercession the preparation and fruits of the Second Special Assembly for Africa. Queen of Peace, pray for us! Our Lady of Africa, pray for us!
BLACK SAINTS OF THE DAY
Black Saints of the day—From the Black Saints reference book (James Wesly Smith), 456 pages, paperback, 1000 lines of Black and African Saints in the Latin Rite, Coptic and Orthodox branches of the Mystical Body of Christ (combined Christianity) to year 599 A.D. Order quickly from www.booklocker.com/books/3088.html, from BarnesandNobles.com, Ingram Book Group internationally, Amazon, wherever online books are sold.
39 Martyrs with Maximus of Carthage, Oct. 28.
400 companions with Saccus, Julius, Damias, and Carpias We were martyred in Africa, 27 May.
40 Companions martyred in the West and North in Africa. 18 Dec, with Victorus, Victor, Adjutor, and Quartus.
40 martyred others with Macarius, Theodore, and Maximus (249, 251 A.D.), Martyrs. Authorities beheaded us at Carthage. April 10. 40 Martyrs of Sebaste, Kemet, and Palestine
44 Christians martyred with Mennas, and Emiliano at Membressa in Africa,
49 old monks in Scete desert, Kemet, 30 Jan.
4966 martyrs with Secundus, Serapeum, and other Christians driven into desert by Vandals;
50 Companions and Callistratus
50 Companions, of Dunatus, Justus, Hevena and Saturninus, Emeritus Kogantianus, Victoria Kemetian martyrs, group of 303 A.D. under the reign of terror and persecutions of Roman Emperor Diocletian.
53 companion martyrs,with Victor and Perpetuus in Africa, 2 Feb.
54 companions with Hilarius and Marinus, martyrs in Africa, 2 Feb.
546 martyred Companions of Paphnutius. Kemet, Oct. 4, or Sept. 25
60 Christians of Suffetula, martyrs of in Byzacium Africa, 30 Aug.
62 Holy Priests of Africa, martyred by the Arians. Dec. 8
7 Children at Antinoe, Kemet, Antinoe (313 A.D.). Martyred in Africa in the reign of terror and persecutions of Roman Emperor Diocletian beheaded with Bishops Sergus,
8 companion martyrs with Lucentius, Paulus, Successus, Victorinus, Saturus, (Saturninus) Missor, Geruntius, Januarius, Florida, and Theocosia, martyred in Africa, 14 Jan. or 19 Jan in some dioceses.
18 companions and 23 others with Rodus, Parmenas (Parmenius), Heraclus, Elias, Apollo, and Tirinus, martyred at Alexandria. 7 July
8,140 companions of Ischyrion and Aesculapius, Martyrs of Achmin (Panopolis), Kemet. 8 Jan.; 25 Dec. Abyssinian Church.
868 others with Rufinus. Martyred at Alexandria, 22 June (23 June). 21 June.
884 Martyrs of Thmuis, in the reign of terror and persecutions of Roman Emperor Diocletian, 8 May. Coptic Calendar.
Nine companions with Saturninus and we were martyred in the Northwestern parts of Africa. 22 March.
Group of 330 martyrs (Theban Legionnaires) with Cratusian and Companion at Xanter on the Rhine, 10? Oct
Group of 140 soldiers suffered martyrdom in Africa with Boniface.
Monks at Zaga-Meelad, in the vicinity of Agows, Kemet (Egypt). 29 Jan.
MORE RESOURCES (Some of the links might be broken, as they are old so verify)
ORTHODOX RITE www.orthodox.cn/saints/placeoflivesofsaints/4en.htm
www.pomog.org/saintlist.shtml
cygnus.uwa.edu.au/~jgrapsas/pages/lives.htm
directory.google.com/./Religion_and_Spirituality/ Christianity/Denominations/Orthodox/Saints_and_Martyrs/
dmoz.org/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/ Christianity/Denominations/Orthodox/Saints_and_Martyrs/
gnisios.narod.ru/saints.html
holyorthodoxy.tripod.com/prophecy.html
http://goarch.org
http://www.saintmarkboca.net/index.cfm?page=daily_reading&contentType=temp&readingType=saint&contentid=251
home.zonnet.nl/chotki/orthodox_saints.htm
http//search.tserkovnost.org/
http//stjrussianorthodox.com/stjrusorthodoxy.htm
http//www.ausorthodox.com/ms.htm
http//www.ausorthodox.com/ms.htm
http//www.cof.rutgers.edu/calendar.html
http//www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium
http//www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/palladius-lausiac.html
http//www.orthodoxinfo.com/search.cfm
http//www.saint-mary.net/coptic_faith/Introductiontothe Coptic OrthodoxChurch.pdf
http//www.unicorne.org/orthodoxy/articles/saints_icons/main.htm saints.grettir.org/
www.2net.co.yu/osvecenje/es05.htm
www.abbamoses.com/
www.ausorthodox.com/msaints.htm
www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/1187/links.html
www.goarch.org/access/calendar/
www.goarch.org/en/Chapel/calendar.asp
www.in2greece.com/english/saints/saints.htm
www.lasvegasorthodox.com/library/Orthodox_saints/
www.odox.net/Icons-Agnes.htm
www.orthodox.net/links/saints.html
www.orthodox.net/saints/
www.orthodoxenglbtinternet.co.uk/saintsint.htm
www.pogledi.co.yu/english/saints.php
www.religiousmall.com/orthodox_saints.php
www.sainthermanpress.com/catalog/ chapter_five/all_ye_saints_book.htm
www.sprint.net.au/~corners/Library/LivesSaints.htm
www.stnicholasdc.org/linktext.htm
www.unicorne.org/orthodoxy/ articles/saints_icons/main.htm
www.unicorne.org/orthodoxy/hiver2004/rcsaints.htm
COPTIC RITE
Coptic Synaxarium Search Page
atheism.about.com/library/ glossary/western/bldef_coptic.htm
dir.yahoo.com/./Faiths_and_Practices/ Christianity/Denominations_and_Sects/Orthodox/Coptic/
home.ptd.net/~yanney/previous_issues.html
http//directory.google.com/Top/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Christianity/Denominations/Orthodox/s_and_Martyrs/
http//dmoz.org/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Christianity/Denominations/Orthodox/s_and_Martyrs/C/
http//gavras.customer.netspace.net.au/Lives%20of%20Orthodox%20s.htm
http//home.it.net.au/~jgrapsas/pages/lives.htm
http//home.ptd.net/~yanney/
http//icias.com/e.o/coptic_c.htm
http//membres.lycos.fr/jmdoggy/textes/copticsynaxarium1995uk2.html
http//pharos.bu.edu
http//pharos.bu.edu/cn/articles/CopticEncyclopediaReview.txt
http//pharos.bu.edu/cn/exhibits/Pictures.html
http//pharos.bu.edu/cn/synexarion
http//rejoyse.com/
http//www.abbamoses.com/
http://www.copticcentre.com/copticsaints.html
http//www.ains.net.au/%7Ejohnh/Saints.html
http://www.ains.net.au/%7Ejohnh/Saints.html
http//www.coptic.net/
http//www.coptic.net/CopticWeb
http//www.coptic.net/EncyclopediaCoptica
http//www.copticchurch.net/topics/synexarion/index.html
http//www.ethiopianhistory.com/aksum/nine_saints.html
http//www.goarch.org/access/calendar/index.asp?D=10/21/2003&T=10
http//www.in2greece.com/english/s/s.htm
http//www.nmafa.si.edu/exhibits/icons/faith-glossary.html
http//www.orthodox.net/s/
http//www.saint-mary.net/coptic_faith/Introductiontothe Coptic OrthodoxChurch.pdf
http//www.stmaryofegypt.net/africa.shtml
http//www.suscopts.org/literature/literature.php?subaction=showfull&id=1076777081&archive=&start_from=&ucat=2&
http//www.touregypt.net/holyfamily4.htm mb-soft.com/believe/txn/coptic.htm
www.ains.net.au/~johnh/
www.cnewa.org/ecc-coptic-catholic.htm
www.coptic.net/CopticWeb/
www.coptic.org/
www.coptic-history.org/
www.coptic-sun.org/
www.coptictheology.com/
www.languages-on-the-web.com/links/link-coptic.htm
www.mideastinfo.com/Religion/copt.htm
www.opuslibani.org.lb/coptimenu.html
www.stmark.toronto.on.coptorthodox.ca/
www.stmarkcocclevelorg/
www.stmarkcocclevelorg/copticchurch.html
www.stshenouda.com/
www.stshenouda.com/coptlang.htm
LATIN RITE
catholicism.about.com/cs/saints/
directory.google.com/Top/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/ Christianity/Denominations/Catholicism/Saints/
http//198.62.75.1/www2/kerygma/ccc/searchcat.html
http//dickinsg.intrasun.tcnj.edu/diaspora/kemet.html
http//www.catholic forum.com/s/
http//www.catholic forum.com/s/indexsnt.htm
http//www.catholic.org/s/
http//www.catholic.org/s/
http//www.catholicforum.com/s/
http//www.catholicforum.com/s/indexsnt.htm
http//www.catholic-forum.com/saints/candidates/candidate.htm
http//www.cin.org/s.html
http//www.cin.org/s.html
http//www.cin.org/s/agnes.html
http//www.cin.org/s/agnes.html
http//www.geocities.com/wally_mo/egypt_lang.html
http//www.kidinfo.com/World_History/OldEgypt.htm
And still more…
Ecole Glossary,
Open Directory Project
For All The Saints
Catholic Encyclopedia
e.g. Passion of Saint Menas of Cotyaeum
Coptic Encomium
Ethiopic Synaxarium
Be aware that Yeshua, Jesus the Christ, wants His Church reunited. It will be! For in God’s eyes, there exists one, holy catholic (which means universal), and apostolic church in the Mystical Body of Christ(all Christianity combined).
Black Saints Videos https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/BlackSaintsVideos.html
Part I https://www.youtube.com/v/sUnU4xR5D9E
Part II https://www.youtube.com/watchv=jMnYwZEfBg4
Black Saints Videos
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/BlackSaintsVideos.html
PROPHECY MEDITATIONS TODAY
Test! Discern The Spirit! Accept what speaks to YOUR SOUL/SPIRIT. Disregard the rest!
from such as Seers, OLOE, ERA OF PEACE, J.Leary, and Fr. Doucette, Anne Hidden Lay Apostle, Sharon Fitzpatrick, Lousie Tomkiel, Carol Ameche, and others. Fair use, educational and religious purposes, 17 U.S.C. for those in the African Historic and Geologic Diaspora who would otherwise not be exposed to such,
[Fr. Doucette: 279] Sun, Jul 19, 2009: "Practice your faith openly"
The Rev. Fr. Melvin Doucette, M.Afr./ 1704 Palmer Road, RR 2 Tignish, PE (Prince Edward Island) C0B 2B0 / CANADA Tel: 902-882-2004 / Email: melvin.doucette@...
Sunday, July 19, 2009
"Practice your faith openly" Dear Friends,
Paul’s Arrival in Rome
Three month later we set sail on a ship that had wintered at the island. It was an Alexandrian ship with the Dioscuri as its figurehead. We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days, and from there we sailed round the coast and arrived at Rhegium. After a day, a south wind came up and in two days we reached Puteoli. There we found some brothers and were urged to stay with them for seven days. And thus we came to Rome.
The brothers from there heard about us and came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul gave thanks to God and took courage. When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him. Acts 28:11-16
Here is a message of Our Lord and Savior given to Joseph. Jesus spoke to him these words,
My great Apostle Paul had much to suffer in his life. After his arrest in Jerusalem, he was kept in prison for some years until he was sent to Rome to be tried by the Emperor. He was in shackles all the time he was in Rome to show that he was a prisoner although he was allowed to live by himself with a soldier. He had done nothing wrong but he was like Me who suffered horribly until My death on the cross.
Although Paul was burdened with these chains, he never stopped preaching the Word of God and talking about Me, your Savior. He traveled around Rome meeting the Gentiles and witnessing about Me.
He first addressed the Jews but many of them did not believe what Paul was telling them about Me. They thought that he belonged to a sect and the government wanted to destroy it. In fact he belonged to My Church and he played a great role in bringing many into My Church. It is a fact that many Christians were persecuted and killed during those days.
You, too, must not be afraid but practice your faith openly wherever you are. Those who acknowledge Me before others, I will acknowledge before My Father in heaven. Be My friend and offer all your sufferings to Me for the conversion of the people of the world. I will fill you with My love and you will have much peace.
Father Melvin The Rev. Fr. Melvin Doucette, M.Afr./ 1704 Palmer Road, RR 2 Tignish, PE (Prince Edward Island) C0B 2B0 / CANADA Tel: 902-882-2004 / Email: melvin.douce...@pei.sympatico.ca
Saturday, July 18, 2009
"Open your heart to Him"
Dear Friends,
Mary Visits Elizabeth
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of you womb.
And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." Luke 1:39-45
Below is the message of Our Blessed Mother addressed to Joseph. She spoke to him in these words,
"I bless you, My son, and I bless all My sons and daughters. I was chosen by God the Father to be the Mother of His only Son, Jesus. It was a great joy for Me to bring the Messiah into the world. When the Angel Gabriel came to announce this news to Me, he also told me that My cousin, Elizabeth, was with child and that she was in her sixth month. I went with haste to her home near Jerusalem to help her during this time.
At My arrival her child leaped in her womb and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. She was inspired to speak words that only God knew, that I was the Mother of the Lord. I was filled with joy and I sang the 'Magnificat.'
God had chosen His lowly handmaid to be the Mother of His Son destined to be the Savior of the world. Later at the cross, Jesus before His death gave Me to you to be your Mother. Now you are all My children for whom I pray continuously. I appear in all continents of the world to call you all to repent of your sins and change your life.
I desire to bring you all to My Son Jesus so that you may believe in Him and follow Him. My dear children, open your heart to Him every day and live in close union with Him. May you be filled with the Holy Spirit and with love to walk with your Lord every day. I bless you all."
Father Melvin
Message to Eileen Renders July 19,2009 Sunday, July 19, 2009
Jesus Warns Us Of A Sign To Come!
At the 8:00 A.M. Mass at our parish, I made small offerings to Jesus and Mary and prayed for all with special needs and intentions. Prior to receiving the Most Sacred Host in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, I made an Act of Contrition while thanking Jesus for His many gifts and confirming my love for Him.
After receiving the most sacred Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of Holy Communion, I knelt in silent commune with Jesus. First I prayed that Jesus remove all distraction and help me to focus only on Him that I might only see with a mind full of Jesus and hear with a heart connected to His heart. On my knees I prayed Speak Lord (only and always if it be His will), Your servant listens.
In my minds eye, I began to see small white clouds being overpowered by darkness!
Then Jesus spoke to my heart saying: My child Eileen, look up and see the sky. See the darkness encompass the heavens. All will know that this is My will as there will be no thunder and/or lightening. All will know that this sign from the heavens is a warning that the time for recompense is near. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Continue to pray for your brothers and sisters. Amen.
From Jo Ann Riggio RN I had a revelation this morning
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I went outside this morning to try to focus on Jesus and Mary to do my morning offering ......
Again I still can't seem to focus since Wed .........on the rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet. I believe I am being attacked because I made arrangements to go to Holy Love in Sept and several people may be coming with me.
However when I went over to the rose bush on the side of the house to actually smell the roses, where I have a little garden and I rearranged it yesterday, pulled weeds etc. , these thoughts came to me as I looked at some of the leaves which were yellow with holes (I pruned most of the branches yesterday) :
Although we still have our faults (represented by the holes in the leaves and them being yellow) , God still loves us because eventually they produce a perfect rose. When we keep our eyes on Jesus as the rose bush does reaching towards heaven, and accept the rain as the rose bush does as God's grace , and the warmth of his love as the rose bush does the sun, and realize we need to be firmly planted in Him as the roots of rose bush, WE TOO BECOME THE PERFECT ROSE TO GOD, each with our own fragrance........diverse as there are many types of roses. We become that perfect rose through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother.........she is the one who creates the fragrance.
May each and every rose Our Lady presents to Jesus for us while we are on this earth be preserved in heaven as Our Special Bouquet of Love presented to Jesus when we meet him face to face. Amen.
God Bless
Love
Jo Ann Riggio RN
Medjugorje Day By Day July 21 - YOUR MOTHER GIVES YOU HER LOVE
"No other Sacrament so inflames souls with Divine Love as the Sacrament of the Eucharist, in which Jesus Christ gives us His whole self, so to unite us all to Him through holy love" (St. Alphonsus Liguori).
Mother Teresa - Love until it hurts; it takes deep sacrifice to proclaim the word of God.
Meditations by Padre Pio - Remember that the corner stone of perfection is charity; he who lives by charity, lives in God, because God is charity, as the apostle said (AdFP 554)
Archbishop Fulton Sheen - We have our divine priorities askew
"At the end of the twentieth century [and now in the 21st] we find ourselves living in an era of superstition in which minds believe everything as fanatics and quacks become shrines of worship and objects of adoration."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html - With longing I gaze into the starlit sky,
Into the sapphire of fathomless firmaments.
There the pure heart leaps out to find You, O God,
And yearns to be freed of the bonds of the flesh.
With great longing, I gaze upon you, my homeland,
When will this, my exile, come to an end?
O Jesus, such is the call of Your bride
Who suffers agony in her thirst for You.
With longing, I gaze at the footprints of the saints
Who crossed this wilderness on their way to the fatherland.
They left me the example of their virtue and their counsels,
And they say to me, "Patience, Sister, soon the fetters will break."
But my longing soul hears not these words.
Ardently it yearns for its Lord and its God,
And it understands not human language,
Because it is enamored of Him alone.
My longing soul, wounded with love,
Forces its way through all created things
And unites itself with infinite eternity,
With the Lord whom my heart has espoused.
Allow my longing soul, O God,
To be drowned in Your Divine Three-fold Essence.
Fulfill my desires, for which I humbly beg You,
With a heart brimming with love's fire. (1304)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY These thoughts for a day are taken from a daily meditation book based on the Messages of Our Lady of Medjugorje by Father Richard J. Beyer, Ave Maria Press. -
July 21 - YOUR MOTHER GIVES YOU HER LOVE
Today the Madonna charges us with carrying her love and peace to others:
Dear children, tonight your Mother is happy to see so many of you. Your Mother wishes to give you her love tonight so that you can share it with others when you go back to your homes. Live love.
I wish to give you peace, so you can carry it to others. Realize that you cannot give peace to others if you do not have peace within yourselves. I need you, dear children, to cooperate with me, for today there are many plans that I cannot fulfill without you. I need your cooperation. Pray, Pray, Pray (VPG 7-24-89).
Paul also charges the Thessalonians to build up and encourage one another:
For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing (Thes 5:9-11).
Reflection:
When an athlete nears the end of a race, his legs ache, his throat burns, and his whole body cries out for him to quit. This is when supporters are most valuable. Their encouragement helps the runner to push through the pain to the finish.
In the same way, Christians are to encourage one another, as Our Lady and St. Paul urge us today. Encouragement offered at the right moment can make the difference between finishing well or giving up along the way.
There are plenty of nay-sayers around, those who discourage others and point to the bleak side. But to support and affirm others is a much needed ministry, and a calling of the gospel as well. Sharing enthusiasm, giving a sincere compliment, supporting another's project or new idea, are all ways of sharing in the affirming work of the Holy Spirit.
Application:
Look around you today, sensitive to the need of others for encouragement; offer an affirming word or a supportive gesture.
Medjugorje Day By Day July 20 - LOVE YOUR BROTHERS
"Let's suppose that our Lord, Jesus Christ, would be present in only one church in the whole world: for example, in St. Peter's Basilica, in Rome. Oh! What a great amount of peregrines would travel there! With what fervor and devotion they would go to visit! What a beautiful tabernacle would be built! What lighting would be placed there! With what immense respect would respond all who succeeded to get close! Well, Jesus is now in every Catholic Church where there are consecrated hosts!" (St. Alphonsus Liguori).
Mother Teresa - You are to be that presence of Christ to each other. Love each other tenderly as Jesus loves each one of you. Tender love for each other speaks much louder than all the words you can say.
Meditations by Padre Pio - Charity is the yardstick with which the Lord will judge us all (AdFP560).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen - No mystery as to why we have missed the Mystery "When minds abandon their concern about final destiny, they substitute for the mystery of what happens after death, the mystery of how someone was murdered. But mystery there must be."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html - February 5, 1937. My Jesus, in spite of everything, I desire very much to unite myself to You. Jesus, if this be possible, take me to Yourself, for it seems to me that my heart will burst of longing for You!
Oh, how very much I feel that I am in exile! When will I find myself in the house of our Father, delighting in the happiness that streams from the Most Holy Trinity? But, if it is Your will that I still go on living and suffering, then I desire what You have destined for me. Keep me here on earth for as long as You wish, even though this be until the end of the world. O will of my Lord, be my delight and the rapture of my soul. Although the earth is so filled with people, I feel all alone, and the earth is a terrible desert to me. O Jesus, Jesus, You know and understand the fervors of my heart; You, O Lord, alone can fill me. (918)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
July 20 - LOVE YOUR BROTHERS
Today, a message of love:
Love your Serbian, Orthodox, and Muslim brothers and even the atheists who persecute you (Special Message 1987)
Paul also speaks of the love and unity that marks God's family:
For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us that he might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it (Eph 2 :14-16).
Reflection:
There are many barriers that can divide us from other Christians: age, appearance, intelligence, politics, economic status, race, culture. Unfortunately, we can stifle Christ's love in catering only to those for whom we have a natural affinity.
But Christ broke these barriers and unified all believers into one family. As Paul says today, « But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ » the blood that was shed for all human beings without distinction. Thus the cross is the focus of our unity and our motivation for loving all God's children. As Jesus prayed to the Father at the Last Supper : « The glory that you have given them, so that they maybe one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one » (Jn 17 :22-23).
Application:
Today, pray to the Holy Spirit that he may help you look beyond the barriers of our differences, to the unity that we are all to share.
Medjugorje Day By Day July 19 - GIVE THANKS TO GOD
Of the Holy Eucharist, Bl. Elizabeth of the Holy Trinity writes: "O my beloved Christ, crucified by love . . . O Eternal Word, Word of my God, I want to spend my life in listening to You, to become wholly teachable that I may learn all from You. Then, through all nights, all voids, all helplessness, I want to gaze on You always and remain in Your great light. O my beloved Star, so fascinate me that I may now withdraw from Your radiance."
Mother Teresa - He has shed the light, and you will take His light and lighten every heart you meet.
Meditations by Padre Pio - Charity is the queen of virtues. As pearls are held together by a string, so are the virtues held by charity. And just as the pearls fall if the string breaks, so are the virtues lost if charity fails (CE 11).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen - Think about what has filled our void today! "An age without faith is an age of superstition. Religious belief is so essential to the heart that once it is cast aside, some false form is called in to fill the void. Unless the house is tenanted with goodness, seven devils worse than the first come in to dwell there."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html - The desires of my heart are so great and incomprehensible
That nothing can fill the abyss of my heart.
Even the most beautiful things,
gathered from all over the world,
Would not for a moment fill Your place for me, O God.
With one glance, I penetrated the whole world,
And I found no other love like the love of my heart.
Therefore I looked into the world of eternity-
Because this one is too small for me.
My heart has desired the love of the Immortal One.
My heart has sensed that I am a royal child,
That I have found myself in exile, in a foreign land.
I see that the heavenly palace is my home;
Only there will I feel as in my own fatherland.
You Yourself have drawn my soul to You, O Lord;
O Eternal Word, You Yourself have stooped to me,
Giving my soul a deeper knowledge of Yourself.
Behold, the mystery of love for which You have created me!
Pure love has made me strong and brave.
I fear neither the Seraphim nor the Cherubim, standing with
sword in hand,
And I pass over with ease where others tremble,
Because there is nothing to fear, there where love is the guide.
And suddenly the eye of my soul came to rest upon You,
O Lord Jesus Christ, stretched upon the Cross.
Here is my Love, with whom I will rest in my grave
This is my Bridegroom, my incomprehensible
Lord and God.
(1632)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
- July 19 - GIVE THANKS TO GOD
In the fall of 1989, the Blessed Mother gave a message on gratitude:
Dear children, today I invite you to give thanks to God for all the gifts you have been given in the course of your life. Thank him even for the smallest gifts you have received. I give thanks with you and hope that you will experience joy in all these gifts. I want God to be everything to you. Then, dear children, you can continue to grow in the way of holiness. (Monthly Message September 25, 1989).
Psalm 30 also speaks of giving thanks and praise to God:
You have turned my mourning into dancing;
You have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, So that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever. Psalm 30 :11-12
Reflection:
Some time ago, a 70-year-old toymaker gave his toyshop to the children of Denmark. His « house of toys, » one of the biggest in the world, was started 157 years ago by his family. It was a favorite haunt of fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen, as well as hundreds of thousands of enchanted youngsters who romped through the five-story toyland.
When he announced that the toy store would be placed in trust for needy youngsters, the owner said, « We
earned all our money from children, so it comes quite naturally to us to give the money back to the children, especially to those who have never had the joy that toys can give. »
God abundantly blesses those who show gratitude; thus Our Lady calls us to « give thanks to God for all the gifts you have discovered in the course of your life. » This also draws us closer to him, for we begin to see the tremendous depth of his love, expressed in an endless array of gifts.
Application:
Live the Madonna's message today by taking several minutes to call to mind God's gifts, and then giving thanks for them. Can you include this as part of your daily prayer?
Medjugorje Day By Day July 18 - ADORE THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT "Anyone who approaches this august Sacrament with special devotion and endeavors to return generous love for Christ's own infinite love, will experience and fully understand--not without spiritual joy and fruit--how precious is the life hidden with Christ in God . . . Countless blessings will accrue to the whole Church and the entire world from an increase in devotion to the Eucharist" (Pope Paul VI, Mysterium Fidei).
Mother Teresa You have a challenge from Jesus to meet:
Meditations by Padre Pio - I can not tolerate criticism and speaking ill of our brothers. It is true, sometimes I enjoy teasing them, but speaking ill of them makes me sick. We have so many defects ourselves to criticize, why pick on our brothers? And lacking in charity we damage the roots of the tree of life, with the risk of killing it (GB 62).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen - America is spoiled because she expects too much!
"The discontent is far greater among the over-privileged than the underprivileged. The rich need the psychoanalysts more than the poor. Few European minds cracked under two wars. Many American minds have. The first learned not to expect anything. This lesson America has yet to learn."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html - I go, Lord, at Your command. I go to conquer souls. Sustained by Your grace, I am ready to follow You, Lord, not only to Tabor, but also to Calvary. I desire to lead souls to the fount of Your mercy so that the splendor of Your mercy may be reflected in all souls, and the home of our Father be filled to overflowing. And when the enemy begins to attack me, I shall take refuge behind the shield of Your mercy. (1488b)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
July 18 - ADORE THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT
Although many of the villagers had worked hard in the fields all day, many remained after Mass for adoration.
In this context Our Lady said:
Dear children, I am especially grateful that you are here tonight. Adore unceasingly the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Know that I am always present when the faithful are adoring (SM 3-15-84).
And in the gospel of John, Christ speaks of the bread that we adore:
Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (Jn 6:32-33).
Reflection:
Our Lady of Medjugorje urges us to adore her Son in the Blessed Sacrament, and has promised to be present herself as we do so. Special graces are received, she says whenever we are in adoration before the Eucharist.
On this subject, Fr. Albert Shamon tells the story of the Countess of Feria, whose mentor was the great Spanish mystic, St. John of the Cross. The countess, who had entered the Order of Poor Clares, had such a great devotion to Eucharistic adoration that she was called the "Spouse of the Blessed Sacrament." Once, when asked what she did during all those hours before the sacrament, she responded,
Good Lord! I'm asked what I do in his presence! What does a poor man do in the presence of a rich man? What does a sick person do in the presence of his doctor? What does a thirsty man do at the well? What does a starving person do before a table laden with food? He is rich; he is the physician; he is the fountain; he is the bread from heaven. And his love for us is so great that he died that he might dwell among us. Why? That he might enrich us, heal us, refresh and nourish us.
Application:
Visit the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament at your parish church this week, perhaps before or after Mass. Can you do this on a regular basis?
[Fr. Doucette: 278] Sat, Jul 18, 2009: "Open your heart to Him"
The Rev. Fr. Melvin Doucette, M.Afr./ 1704 Palmer Road, RR 2 Tignish, PE (Prince Edward Island) C0B 2B0 / CANADA Tel: 902-882-2004 / Email: melvin.doucette@...
Saturday, July 18, 2009
"Open your heart to Him"
Dear Friends,
Mary Visits Elizabeth
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of you womb.
And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled. Luke 1:39-45
Below is the message of Our Blessed Mother addressed to Joseph. She spoke to him in these words,
I bless you, My son, and I bless all My sons and daughters. I was chosen by God the Father to be the Mother of His only Son, Jesus. It was a great joy for Me to bring the Messiah into the world. When the Angel Gabriel came to announce this news to Me, he also told me that My cousin, Elizabeth, was with child and that she was in her sixth month. I went with haste to her home near Jerusalem to help her during this time.
At My arrival her child leaped in her womb and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. She was inspired to speak words that only God knew, that I was the Mother of the Lord. I was filled with joy and I sang the Magnificat.
God had chosen His lowly handmaid to be the Mother of His Son destined to be the Savior of the world. Later at the cross, Jesus before His death gave Me to you to be your Mother. Now you are all My children for whom I pray continuously. I appear in all continents of the world to call you all to repent of your sins and change your life. I desire to bring you all to My Son Jesus so that you may believe in Him and follow Him. My dear children, open your heart to Him every day and live in close union with Him. May you be filled with the Holy Spirit and with love to walk with your Lord every day. I bless you all.
Father Melvin
Message from Our Blessed Mother to Carlos Lopez
Message from Our Blessed Mother to Carlos Lopez June 24, 2009 St. Bruno’s Church, San Bruno, CA
Dear little children, Praised be Jesus!
Give thanks to God with praise for having allowed me to be with you.
My little ones, pray, pray, pray. There are storms around you that are able to destroy entire cities because there are some storms that can destroy and annihilate. But this night I come to talk not about those storms but about the spiritual storms that can annihilate the soul. These are the storms that you should fear.
The storms that many go through are dark; dark in the soul and they dim your lives. Pray, my little ones, because these storms are filled with darkness where my adversary takes advantage trying to destroy many, through envy, pride, passions, jealousy, hate, impurity, destruction and all kinds of sin. The darkness of your souls blinds you and does not allow you to see the light of truth, of love and of peace.
Pray, pray, pray and do many sacrifices and penance so that the sun may shine in the hearts of all and the Holy Spirit may revive the being that was once dead in worldly pleasure and may become a light and salt of the world.
My little ones, pray much as I ask you so that I, your Mother, may be able to help you. Trust in me without fear; trust in me blindly because I will help you to rise to life, to the light of the Holy Spirit, to the light of that Love Who is Jesus the Prince of Peace. I love you and I bless you and I desire that you obey my words. I cover you and I bless you and my beloved priests and deacon who helped me this night. May the peace of God be always with all of you.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
The Rev. Fr. Melvin Doucette, M.Afr./ 1704 Palmer Road, RR 2 Tignish, PE (Prince Edward Island) C0B 2B0 / CANADA Tel: 902-882-2004 / Email: melvin.douce...@pei.sympatico.ca
Friday, July 17, 2009
"I bless you all"
Dear Friends,
Transfer to Caesarea
Then the commander summoned two of the centurions and said, "Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea by nine o'clock tonight, along with seventy horsemen and two hundred auxiliaries. Provide mounts for Paul to ride and give him safe conduct to Felix the governor." Then the commander wrote a letter with this content: "Claudius Lysias to his excellency the governor Felix, greetings.
This man, seized by the Jews and about to be murdered by them, I rescued after intervening with my troops when I learned that he was a Roman citizen. I wanted to learn the reason for their accusations against him so I brought him down to their Sanhedrin. I discovered that he was accused in matters of controversial questions of their law and not of any charge deserving death or imprisonment.
Since it was brought to my attention that there will be a plot against the man, I am sending him to you at once, and have also notified his accusers to state their case against him before you." So the soldiers, according to their orders, took Paul and escorted him by night to Antipatris. The next day they returned to the compound, leaving the horsemen to complete the journey with him. Acts 23:23-32
Here is a message from Our Lord given to Joseph. Jesus spoke to him in these words,
"The Jews were set to kill Paul and they were just waiting for an opportunity. The Roman soldiers guarded him but their commander became afraid and decided to take Paul out of Jerusalem and send him to Governor Felix in Caesarea. There he would be better protected.
You who are My followers will be hated by the world. They will mock you and say all kinds of lies against you. They will call you "old fashion" or people living in the past. You will be rejected even by your own family. However, rejoice because the Kingdom of God is yours. Those who believe in Me will be your friends and there are many of them yet in the world.
You will find them especially in My Church as they go to church regularly and they pray every day. Intercede every day for those who are far from Me especially your close family. Be like St. Monica who prayed for her son Augustine for years until his conversion. Even the most hardened of sinners can be converted, so pray with confidence. Father Melvin
The Rev. Fr. Melvin Doucette, M.Afr./ 1704 Palmer Road, RR 2 Tignish, PE (Prince Edward Island) C0B 2B0 / CANADA Tel: 902-882-2004 / Email: melvin.douce...@pei.sympatico.ca
Thursday, July 16, 2009
"I am with you always"
Dear Friends,
Paul before the Sanhedrin
The next day, wishing to determine the truth about why he was being accused by the Jews, the commander freed him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene. Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them. ...
Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees, so he called out before the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead." When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group became divided.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all three. A great uproar occurred, and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party stood up and sharply argued, "We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"
The dispute was so serious that the commander, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered his troops to go down and rescue him from their midst and take him into the compound. The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome." Acts 22:30, 23:6-11
We had a lovely sunny day yesterday with the temperature reaching over 20 degrees Celsius. It is sunny this morning but there are clouds and we should have rain later.
I celebrated Holy Mass at the little shrine of Our Lady of Prince Edward Island yesterday morning at 9:30 a.m. and a good group came. This evening I will have Mass at 7:00 p.m. I was at the prayer meeting last evening at our church and 25 people attended. The Holy Spirit was surely at work. I am preparing for the retreat next week from July 22 to 24.
Here is the message given by Our Lord to Joseph. Jesus spoke to him these words,
"Paul, the Jewish convert, was arrested and brought to trial before the Sanhedrin. He began by saying that he was a Pharisee and that he believed in the resurrection, in the angels and in the spirits. A dispute began among the group and it was so fierce that the soldiers took Paul from their midst. He was brought back to the prison.
In the evening I appeared to him and told him to take courage because he will go to Rome to bear witness to Me. Paul never lost courage even in Rome and he was always ready to acknowledge Me before the people. I was truly His Lord and His friend.
Paul is a great example of a truly Christian person who loves Me with all his heart and he was always ready to suffer anything for his faith in Me. Pray daily for an increase of faith and for the strength to be faithful to Me every day in this secular world of turmoil and unbelief. Be united to Me and do not be afraid. I am with you always."
Father Melvin
Medjugorje Day By Day July 19 - GIVE THANKS TO GOD
Mother Teresa - He has shed the light, and you will take His light and lighten every heart you meet.
Meditations by Padre Pio - Charity is the queen of virtues. As pearls are held together by a string, so are the virtues held by charity. And just as the pearls fall if the string breaks, so are the virtues lost if charity fails (CE 11).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen - Think about what has filled our void today! "An age without faith is an age of superstition. Religious belief is so essential to the heart that once it is cast aside, some false form is called in to fill the void. Unless the house is tenanted with goodness, seven devils worse than the first come in to dwell there."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html - The desires of my heart are so great and incomprehensible
That nothing can fill the abyss of my heart.
Even the most beautiful things,
gathered from all over the world,
Would not for a moment fill Your place for me, O God.
With one glance, I penetrated the whole world,
And I found no other love like the love of my heart.
Therefore I looked into the world of eternity-
Because this one is too small for me.
My heart has desired the love of the Immortal One.
My heart has sensed that I am a royal child,
That I have found myself in exile, in a foreign land.
I see that the heavenly palace is my home;
Only there will I feel as in my own fatherland.
You Yourself have drawn my soul to You, O Lord;
O Eternal Word, You Yourself have stooped to me,
Giving my soul a deeper knowledge of Yourself.
Behold, the mystery of love for which You have created me!
Pure love has made me strong and brave.
I fear neither the Seraphim nor the Cherubim, standing with
sword in hand, And I pass over with ease where others tremble,
Because there is nothing to fear, there where love is the guide.
And suddenly the eye of my soul came to rest upon You,
O Lord Jesus Christ, stretched upon the Cross.
Here is my Love, with whom I will rest in my grave.
This is my Bridegroom, my incomprehensible
Lord and God. (1632)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
July 19 - GIVE THANKS TO GOD
In the fall of 1989, the Blessed Mother gave a message on gratitude:
Dear children, today I invite you to give thanks to God for all the gifts you have been given in the course of your life. Thank him even for the smallest gifts you have received. I give thanks with you and hope that you will experience joy in all these gifts. I want God to be everything to you. Then, dear children, you can continue to grow in the way of holiness. (Monthly Message September 25, 1989).
Psalm 30 also speaks of giving thanks and praise to God:
You have turned my mourning into dancing;
You have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, So that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever. Psalm 30 :11-12
Reflection:
Some time ago, a 70-year-old toymaker gave his toyshop to the children of Denmark. His « house of toys, » one of the biggest in the world, was started 157 years ago by his family. It was a favorite haunt of fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen, as well as hundreds of thousands of enchanted youngsters who romped through the five-story toyland.
When he announced that the toy store would be placed in trust for needy youngsters, the owner said, « We earned all our money from children, so it comes quite naturally to us to give the money back to the children, especially to those who have never had the joy that toys can give. »
God abundantly blesses those who show gratitude; thus Our Lady calls us to « give thanks to God for all the gifts you have discovered in the course of your life. » This also draws us closer to him, for we begin to see the tremendous depth of his love, expressed in an endless array of gifts.
Application:
Live the Madonna's message today by taking several minutes to call to mind God's gifts, and then giving thanks for them. Can you include this as part of your daily prayer?
Medjugorje Day By Day July 17 - PREVENT SATAN FROM ENTERING
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel:
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel—Feast, July 16: When the Carmelite order was persecuted, St. Simon Stock prayed for Our Lady's intercession. Mother Mary appeared to him on July 16, 1251 in Aylesford, England with the gift of the scapular, promising salvation to all who wear it, live a chaste life, and practice Marian devotion.
Our Lady appeared with the Scapular again at Fatima in 1917, in which she asked for prayer at Eucharistic Adoration and the Rosary. Our Lady of Mount Carmel lead us to Jesus, your Eucharistic Son!
"I praise, and bless, and give myself wholly to Him, who is the true Bread of my soul, and my everlasting joy" (Ven. John Henry Newman).
Mother Teresa - Christ must be the light that shines through you, and the people looking at you must see only Jesus.
Meditations by Padre Pio - I was extremely sorry to hear you have been ill, but was very happy to hear you are recovering, and I was even happier to see true piety and Christian charity flourish once again in your midst, which you showed during your infirmity (Letters III p 1094).
Archbishop Fulton Sheen - We're more blessed than we think! "The talents we have must be put to work, but if they yield only a certain return, we do not murmur because the return is not greater. When we really examine our consciences we have to admit that we have received more than we morally deserved!"
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html - Jesus, there is one more secret in my life, the deepest and dearest to my heart; it is You Yourself when You come to my heart under the appearance of bread. Herein lies the whole secret of my sanctity.
Here my heart is so united with Yours as to be but one. There are no more secrets, because all that is Yours is mine, and all that is mine is Yours. Such is the omnipotence and the miracle of Your mercy. All the tongues of men and of Angels united could not find words adequate to this mystery of Your love and mercy.
When I contemplate this mystery, my heart falls into a new ecstasy. In silence I tell You everything, Lord, because the language of love is without words; not a single stirring of my heart escapes You. O Lord, the extent of Your great condescension has awakened in my soul an even greater love for You, the sole object of my love. The life of union manifests itself in perfect purity, deep humility, gentle silence, and great zeal for the salvation of souls. (1489)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
JULY 17 - PREVENT SATAN FROM ENTERING
The Virgin speaks of Satan to Ivan's prayer group :
Dear children, again today you Mother wants to warn you that Satan, by every means possible, wants to ruin everything in you, but your prayers prevent him from succeeding. When you fill up all the empty space in your soul with prayer, you prevent Satan from entering. Pray, dear children, and your Mother will pray with you to defeat Satan.
May this be a time when all of us convey peace to others. And so please spread peace within your homes, in your families, in the streets, and everywhere (Visionary Prayer Group March 21,1988).
In strong, clear language, Paul identifies and warns the Ephesians of Satan and the powers of evil :
Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authoritative, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm (Eph 6 :11-13)
Reflection:
Both St. Paul and Our Lady wish us to recognize the reality and danger of Satan and the demonic, that we might be prepared and armed to defeat him. This is of such consequence to Mary that she has given over 25 messages on Lucifer.
Obviously Satan is not to be taken lightly. The trouble is that he usually works undercover subtly plying us with temptations and eroding our faith. He can also be overt and dramatic, as in some of the exorcisms that have occurred in Medjugorje, but this is rare behavior for him, for he does not like to show his face.
Our defense? Our Lady gives us five weapons : Prayer, fasting, scripture reading, monthly confession, and the Mass. She asks that we wear objects, make use of holy water, and "to let the rosary in your hands be a sign to Satan that you belong to me."
Application:
In prayer today, call to mind those temptations that bother you the most. See these as your weakest links, and place them before God in prayer each morning, asking for his protection against the Evil One.
Medjugorje Day By Day July 16 - OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL
"Our Lord is present in this sacrament [of the Holy Eucharist] in which the martyrs and virgins received fervor, and the saints received fortitude" (St. John Bosco).
St. Dominic Savio, Patron of Children (1842-1857), Italy—Feastday, March 9 St. John Bosco advised those about to receive First Holy Communion to take St. Dominic Savio as their Patron Saint, due to his love of Jesus Eucharistic. He loved to visit and spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament daily, and invite his friends too. St. Dominic wrote, "What else do I need to be happy? Nothing in this world but to be able to see Him, Whom I now see by faith and adore on the altar."
Mother Teresa - Jesus said, " Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart. "
Meditations by Padre Pio - To see suffering makes me very unhappy! I would gladly stab myself in the heart to take away suffering from someone! Yes, this would be very easy for me! (T 121). The Rosary is the weapon
Archbishop Fulton Sheen - God helps those who help themselves for His sake
"Contentment is not inconsistent with our endeavor to have our condition improved. We do everything we can, as if all depended on us, but we trust in God as if everything depended on Him."
St. Faustina's diary http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html - On the following day during Holy Mass, before the Elevation, this spirit began to sing these words: "Holy, Holy, Holy." His voice was like that of a thousand voices; it is impossible to put it into words. Suddenly my spirit was united with God, and in that instant I saw the grandeur and the inconceivable holiness of God and, at the same time, I realized the nothingness I am of myself. (471)
MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY
JULY 16 - OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL
Our Lady speaks of consecration today:
Dear children, I call you daily to live the messages which I am giving you because I want to draw your closer to the heart of Jesus. Therefore, little children, I am calling you today to the prayer of consecration to Jesus, my dear Son, so that each of your hearts may be his. And then I am calling you to consecration to my immaculate heart. I want you to consecrate yourselves as person, families, and parishes so that all belongs to God through my hands (Monthly Message October 25, 1988).
Consecration is a way of confirming our total dedication to the Lord. As Peter writes: Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you (2 Pt 1: 10-11).
Reflection :
The feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel speaks of profound dedication or consecration to the loving hearts of Jesus and Mary, as Carmelite religious have done for centuries. This is an act of love that links us to them forever.
Today the Virgin asks to help us on this path of love: « .I want to draw you closer to the heart of Jesus.
"And so she calls us to the prayers of consecration to the heart of Jesus and to her immaculate heart, so that all belongs to God through my hands." To consecrate means to completely dedicate ourselves. It means to irrevocably decide for God, to commit ourselves body and soul. It puts us in mind of the inscription on the papal coast of arms: "totus tuus," or "totally yours."
It is in regard to his act of profound dedication that Mary exhorts us: "pray that you may comprehend the greatness of this message (of consecration) which I am giving you." Consecration must be taken very seriously, for it is a radical commitment, a vow to the Lord himself.
Application: On this feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, let us again reverently consecrate ourselves to Jesus and Mary (prayers on November 24 and 25) and, as she says, « by constant prayer press tightly to my motherly heart. »
SHORT POWERFUL PRAYER THROUGH ST. JOSEPH
"Glorious St. Joseph, tenderhearted father, faithful guardian of Jesus, chaste spouse of the Mother of God, I ask you to join me in praising God the Father through His Divine Son who died on the cross and rose again to give us sinners new life. Through the Holy Name of Jesus, pray with me that we may obtain from the eternal Father the favor we ask. (here state your intention)."
Say this prayer for nine consecutive days.
Fear not! God is your shelter (the 23rd Psalm and the Lord’s Prayer. God never fails). Don’t fail him. Call on Jesus. Jesus on the mainline, tell him what you want!
http://www.live365.com/stations/283424
BLACK CATHOLIC GOSPEL RADIO (Afrocentric Rosary, Stations of Cross, Chaplet of Divine Mercy)
AFROCENTRIC CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY DEVOTION
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/blog/ChapletofDivineMercy.mp3
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/blog/ChapletPtII.wma
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/streamaudio/Chaplet_Pt_lII.wma
FRIDAY-AFROCENTRIC SORROWFUL MYSTERIES OF ROSARY , AND STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Part I
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/blog/11_AfrocentricSorrowfulMysteries--TheCrossScourge_Artis.mp3
Part II
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/blog/12_AfrocentricSorrowfulMysteries-CrownofThorns-Carrying.mp3
Part IIII
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/blog/13_StationsoftheCrossI-VII_Artist_Album.mp3
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Part I
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/blog/13_StationsoftheCrossI-VII_Artist_Album.mp3"
Part II
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/blog/14_StationsoftheCrossVIII-End_Artist_Album.mp3"
For further information: BLACK CHRISTIANITY’S AFRICAN BEGINNINGS
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/
BLACK CATHOLICS BLOG
http://blackcatholicsprophecymeditations.blogspot.com
Black, African Saints
www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/BlackSaintsMysticHoly.html
Black and African Catholics Prophecy Meditations
www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/recentmeditations.html
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/blog/
Black African Catholics Coptic, Latin rite, Orthodox Prophecies Meditations
https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/blog/
Black Saints Videos https://www.angelfire.com/realm/blackcatholics/BlackSaintsVideos.html Black Saints Videos
Black Saints Videos Part I
LINKS
YouTube, Yahoo, MySpace, Google, DailyMotion, Blip.tv, Veoh, Stupid Videos, Sclipo, Viddler and Howcast
Part II
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=jMnYwZEfBg4
LINKS
YouTube, Yahoo, MySpace, Google, Revver, DailyMotion, Blip.tv, Veoh, Stupid Videos, Sclipo, Viddler and Howcast
A writer/producer of more than 30 audio visual film projects on the Black Genesis of Christianity, with an emphasis on the early African Liturgical Churches, Attorney James Wesly Smith ‘s 30 year effort resulted in the reference tome, Black Saints, Mystics, Holy Folk, (Ancient African Liturgical Church) Volume I, and II, detailing Black involvement in the Church from before 1 A.D. (See: Out of Africa I called my Son, Hosea 11:1, Matthew 2:13-15). Smith may be reached at stbernice@yahoo.com