The Unprofitable Servant: In Thanksgiving

Thursday, April 11, 2013

In Thanksgiving

When I pray to the saints, I always assure them that I will spread devotion to them by making known the favors they grant and publicly thanking them for pleading on my behalf or those for whom I pray.

I have been negligent of late in acknowledging the work of my favorite little Carmelite saint. Praise and gratitude is due to St. Therese for her glorious intercession with the following:

-A couple who suffered through years of heartbreak with infertility recently welcomed their first child into the world, a healthy little baby boy. For the first time ever, the couple has joined a church. OK, so it's not Catholic, but they have to start somewhere. Jesus will meet them where they are.

-A clean bill of health for a relative who was told to prepare accordingly for a serious diagnosis

St.Therese loved God so much that she was willing to continue to suffer for Him if it meant the salvation of souls. She had no interest in "repose" from her trials and hence, knew God would grant her request to allow her to continue to work for the salvation of souls.

My prayer for myself and all of us who haven't reached the sanctity of the Little Flower is that we will live in the moment and welcome every cross as a gift directly from God's hand; that we will be so inflamed with love for Him that we will forego our own comfort or relief for His sake; and that we would be so in love with Jesus that our ONLY interest in Heaven is the opportunity to tell Him face to face how much we love Him. Just like Therese.

Praise and gratitude is also due to St. Joseph for his glorious intercession with the following:

-A couple on the brink of divorce mutually agree to counseling, remain together and now expect their third child togehter

- A work situation for a dear friend has improved to the point they no longer have to seek employment elsewhere and they actually look forward to going to work each day.

My prayer for myself and all of us is that we would have the wisdom and faith of St. Joseph to readily accept all God wills to send us and trust in His providence to see us through any trial we may face.

I had asked St. Joseph to grant me something that I will keep private at this time. I was confident he would seek relief for me but it seemed to be taking longer than I thought it would, so I reminded him of my need by praying a triduum to him. When my favor was granted on the second day of the triduum, I jokingly told someone that I could envision St. Joseph going to Jesus and asking: "Haven't you answered that crazy woman's prayers yet? She's going to drive me nuts."

St. Therese once remarked that prayer was like a queen who has access to the king and knows he will grant her whatever she asks. Praying to the Blessed Virgin Mary and other saints and even imploring Our Lord directly and having our prayers answered is not magic or good luck. It is the fruit of faith and the confidence that God knows what is best for us. Speaking of our Blessed Mother...

My son suffered some facial trauma in the early morning hours of Palm Sunday. One of his injuries was that his nose was broken in such a way that the bones had fragmented. This child of mine has suffered greatly in so many ways and the injuries he sustained, though not life-threatening, were very painful. I have to say that whenever I appeal to the Blessed Virgin mother-to-Mother, my prayers are always promptly answered. I had prayed to her that evening for my son to keep him safe and even though something did happen, it could have been much worse. The following is to me, nothing short of miraculous.

A few days after being discharged we had a follow-up appointment. The doctors told me they were amazed that though his nose was indeed broken in numerous place, the bones were perfectly aligned and no surgery would be necessary. They were at a loss to explain this but happy just the same.

I know exactly how it happened. Thank you, dear Mother, for your patience with me and your protection of my children so that even when some harm does come to them, it is never as bad as it could be.

2 comments:

PatriciaApril 12, 2013 at 10:43 AM
Joyce, with results like you are getting, I hope you can find a place in your prayers to tuck a few of my intentions. Sounds like you have the ear of Heaven! I must admit an unexpected blessing of my own, which I mostly attribute our Blessed Mother, as well as St. Michael and the holy angels. My son and his wife will be over "after church" this Sunday! They had gone to confession and Mass for Christmas, but then nothing again until Easter. I wasn't expecting to hear that they were going again so soon. I am now praying they will make some new friends in their parish and maybe get involved. They both like helping out etc. My son has been away from his faith since he was 15...that's 19 years. Sorry to hog the combox, but since you were thanking Saints....

So happy for you, dear Joyce! May all of your prayers be answered in good time! Love you!
PS That is so awesome about your son's amazing recovery from his injuries!
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TLWApril 12, 2013 at 4:42 PM
Patricia, that is wonderful news. I know the heartbreak you felt when your son was away from the Church but surely the path he's on now must have you heartened, as you should be.

Of course I will keep your intentions in my prayers. St. Therese is my go-to girl for illness and other situations that seem impossible. St. Joseph is the man when it comes to job and family issues. And as I previously noted, our Blessed Mother will always answer a mother's prayers to her.

Love and prayers and a big hug!
Joyce
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Comments which reflect true Christian charity are always welcome. Comments which attack the Pope, the Church, priests or other bloggers will go in the dustbin, especially if they are anonymous. Thank you and God Bless you!

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

Thursday, April 11, 2013

In Thanksgiving

2 comments:

Mary, Queen of Peace

St Michael the Archangel

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

St. Teresa Benedicta of The Cross