The Unprofitable Servant: Giving Alms When You Are Strapped for Cash

Friday, March 8, 2013

Giving Alms When You Are Strapped for Cash

I often hear people fret about giving alms during Lent. This is a tough economy, which is hopefully getting better, and I know that many people are hurting. But we can still give alms without ever reaching into our pockets. We have only to reach into our hearts and offer prayers for those who need them.

It would be a most generous act of charity and mercy to offer any indulgences you might gain during Lent for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. For instance, you can gain a plenary indulgence during any Friday in Lent by the usual conditions if you pray the Stations of the Cross and then pray the Prayer Before the Crucifix. I can't think of a greater sacrifice than to take something which would benefit ourselves and instead offer it for a soul thirsting for God in the flames of Purgatory.

In your charity, may I please ask you to pray for the repose of the soul of my dear friend's father? He passed away peacefully today a few minutes past Noon with his loving family at his bedside. My friend had spent nearly every night this week in vigil at her father's bedside and we communicated in the wee hours via text. My friend has kept me afloat these past months with her prayers and encouragement as I have feebly endured some trials and she was the inspiration behind the Rosary prayer group. I would be so grateful if you could keep her and her family in your prayers at this time.

I would also beg your prayers for me to know what God's will is for me in my life. It is always so hard for me to know. Sometimes, I believe He wants me to pick up what I think is a heavy cross, and then when it's too late, I realize it wasn't what He wanted at all. I know that what doesn't kill us can make us stronger, but I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing by the Lord. I thank you.

If anyone has any prayer intentions that they would like the Rosary group (or just those who visit the blog occasionally) to pray for, you are invited to post your intentions in the comments. If you have an urgent prayer request but wish to remain anonymous, just say so and I won't publish the comment. As a healthcare professional, I have lots of experience protecting the privacy of patients and I will do the same for anyone who needs our prayers but requires anonymity as well.

Thank you and God bless you!

8 comments:

sheepnamedcocoMarch 9, 2013 at 6:54 AM
It is a privilege to pray for the intentions of this little group. I think our Lord is fond of group efforts!
For myself, I ask that you kindly pray for the conversion of my family. My husband, the Learned Astronomer, is going to be a particularly tough nut to crack! Also, for my daughter and her sweet husband. All of their friends who are couples are now on their second babies, and they do so want a little one of their own so very much.
Thank you all!
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Kathy Felsted UsherMarch 9, 2013 at 8:59 AM
Sending prayers for your friend's family and for you.
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KellyMarch 9, 2013 at 9:58 AM
All my kids, for one reason or another! But especially, Meghann, for a new job, her husband Jeff, to be offered the managership of the local store he currently works at, so they don;t have to pick up and move Lord-knows-where. The rest of them, for the gift of faith. And for protection while they search.
Also for a little girl named Belle who is about to undergo brain surgery for cancer.
And for my brother Gary, who has Hep C, very advanced, and is a believer, but that he may come to know God in His fullness.

Thanks everybody!
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PatriciaMarch 10, 2013 at 12:10 AM
Joyce, please know that your intentions are in all my prayers. As I was praying my decade for our little rosary group last night, I felt such joy thinking about all those unknown people and intentions which I am bringing to the Lord. I think "coco" is right...Our Lord does love groups. I know He loves so much when we look after each other's needs. And, I'll definitely be saying special prayers for coco's daughter, since I know that unique pain very well. Thank you for starting our little rosary group...mom :)
Love and prayers....
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TLWMarch 10, 2013 at 9:14 AM
Patricia you and coco are so right. I also know that He loves vibrant and active faith, which I believe we demonstrate when we offer Him petitions not necessarily known to us and beg Him for His help. I was reading the article over at Abbey Roads on a pious young man who died very young and how he called the time of day he prayed the Rosary his dailly appointment of love. I Ithink I have not done enough to demonstrate that love to our Blessed Mother, even though I "pray" her Rosary every day. I will have a little time on my hands for the foreeeable future to do a better job of getting "it' right.
Blessed Sunday with love
Joyce
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Mary, Queen of Peace

Ever glorious and blessed Mary, Queen of Virgins, Mother of Mercy, hope and comfort of dejected and desolate souls, through that sword of sorrow which pierced thy tender heart whilst thine only Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord, suffered death and ignominy on the cross; through that filial tenderness and pure love He had for thee, grieving in thy grief, whilst from His cross He recommended thee to the care and protection of His beloved disciple, St. John, take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and necessities; have compassion on my anxieties and cares; assist and comfort me in all my infirmities and miseries, of every kind whatsoever. Thou art the Mother of Mercies, the sweet comforter and only refuge of the needy and the orphan, of the desolate and afflicted. Cast, therefore, an eye of pity on a miserable, forlorn child of Eve, and hear my prayer; for since, in just punishment of my sins, I find myself encompassed by a multitude of evils, and oppressed with much anguish of spirit, wither can I fly for more secure shelter, O amiable Mother of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, than under the wings of thy maternal protection? Attend, therefore, I beseech thee, with an ear of pity and compassion, to my humble and earnest request. I ask it, through the bowels of mercy of thy dear Son; Through that love and condescension wherewith He embraced our nature, when, in compliance with the divine Will, thou gavest thy consent, and whom, after the expiration of nine months thou didst bring forth from the chaste enclosure of thy womb, to visit the world, and bless it with His presence. I ask it, through that anguish of mind wherewith thy beloved Son, our dear Saviour, was overwhelmed on the Mount of Olives, when He besought His eternal Father to remove from Him, if possible, the bitter chalice of His future passion. I ask it, through the threefold repetition of His prayers in the garden, whence afterwards, with dolorous steps and mournful tears, thou didst accompany Him to the doleful theatre of His death and sufferings. I ask it, through the welts and bruises of His virginal flesh, occasioned by the cords and whips wherewith He was bound and scourged, when stripped of His seamless garment, for which His executioners afterwards cast lots. I ask it, through the scoffs and ignominies by which He was insulted; the false accusations and unjust sentence by which He was condemned to death, and which He bore with heavenly patience. I ask it, through His bitter tears and bloody sweat; His silence and resignation; His sadness and grief of heart. I ask it, through the blood which trickled from His royal and Sacred Head, when struck with the sceptre of a reed and pierced with His crown of thorns. I ask it, through the excruciating torments He suffered, when His hands and feet were fastened with gross nails to the tree of the cross. I ask it, through His vehement thirst, and bitter potion of vinegar and gall. I ask it, through His dereliction on the cross when He exclaimed, "My God! my God! why hast Thou forsaken me?" I ask it, through His mercy extended to the good thief, and through His recommending His precious soul and spirit into the hands of His eternal Father before He expired, saying, "It is consummated." I ask it, through the blood mixed with water, which issued from His Sacred Side when pierced with a lance, and whence a flood of grace and mercy has flowed to us. I ask it, through His immaculate life, bitter passion and ignominious death on the cross, at which nature itself was thrown into convulsions, by the bursting of rocks, rending of the veil of the Temple, the earthquake, and the darkness of the sun and moon. I ask it, through His descent into hell, where He confronted the Saints of the old law with His presence, and led the captivity captive. I ask it, through His glorious victory over death, when He arose again to life on the third day, and through the joy which His appearance for forty days after gave thee, His blessed Mother, His Apostles, and the rest of His Disciples; when in thine and their presence He miraculously ascended into heaven. I ask it, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, infused into the hearts of His Disciples, when He descended upon them in the form of fiery tongues, and by which they were inspired with zeal in the conversion of the world, when they went to preach the gospel. I ask it, through the awful appearance of thy Son, at the last dreadful day, when He shall come to judge the living and the dead, and the world, by fire. I ask it, through the compassion He bore thee in His life, and the unspeakable joy thou didst feel at thine assumption into heaven, where thou art eternally absorbed in the sweet contemplation of His divine perfections. O glorious and ever blessed Virgin! comfort the heart of thy supplicant, by obtaining for me, (Mention your prayer intention here...) And as I am persuaded my Divine Saviour doth honour thee as His beloved Mother, to whom He refuses nothing, because thou asketh nothing contrary to His honour, so let me speedily experience the efficacy of thy powerful intercession, according to the tenderness of thy maternal affection, and His filial loving heart, who mercifully granteth the requests and complieth with the desires of those that love and fear Him. Wherefore, O most blessed Virgin, beside the object of my present petition, and whatever else I may stand in need of, obtain for me also of thy dear Son, our Lord and our God, a lively faith, firm hope, perfect charity, true contrition of heart, unfeigned tears of compunction, sincere confession, condign satisfaction, abstinence from sin, love of God and my neighbour, contempt of the world, patience to suffer affronts and ignominies, nay, even, if necessary, an opprobrious death itself, for love of thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Obtain likewise for me, O sacred Mother of God, perseverance in good works, performance of good resolutions, mortification of self-will, a pious conversation through life, and, at my last moments, strong and sincere repentance, accompanied by such a lively and attentive presence of mind, as may enable me to receive the last Sacrament of the Church worthily, and die in thy friendship and favour. Lastly, obtain through thy Son, I beseech thee, for the souls of my parents, brethren, relatives and benefactors, both living and dead, life everlasting, from the only Giver of every good and perfect gift, the Lord God Almighty, to Whom be all power now and forever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Bonaventure

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.
Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.
May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God;
may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

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God Bless You!

The Unprofitable Servant

Friday, March 8, 2013

Giving Alms When You Are Strapped for Cash

8 comments:

Mary, Queen of Peace

St Michael the Archangel

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

St. Teresa Benedicta of The Cross