June 23
"Crosses, contempt, sorrows and afflictions are the real treasures of the lovers of Jesus Christ crucified."
-St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Today's Reflection
Suffering is a hard pill to swallow. It takes great receptivity, trust, and surrender. Pray for the grace to embrace the crosses, contempt, sorrows, and afflictions the Lord permits to send your way.
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Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910)
MA asks: "Have you done any research into Christian Science? My daughter is following it and every time I try to read about it I become angry. I have a good relationship with my daughter and her children and want to keep it that way but would like some concise information. You would be such a blessing to me if you have such information."
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June 22
"O Heart all loveable and all loving of my Saviour, be the Heart of my heart, the Soul of my soul, the Spirit of my spirit, the Life of my life and the sole principle of all my thoughts, words and actions, of all the faculties of my soul and of all my senses, both interior and exterior. Amen.
-St. John Eudes
Today's Reflection
Imagine what the world would be like if we lived this prayer.
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June 21
"Look upon yourself as a tree planted beside the water, which bears its fruit in due season; the more it is shaken by the wind, the deeper it strikes its roots into the ground.”
-St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Today's Reflection
Have you been shaken? How does this quote transform your thinking about the challenges and sufferings of life?
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June 20
“Are you making no progress in prayer? Then you need only offer God the prayers which the Savior has poured out for us in the sacrament of the altar. Offer God His fervent love in reparation for your sluggishness.”
-Margaret Mary Alacoque
Today's Reflection
It is consoling to know that even when our prayer is dry, wounded, and uninspiring, we need only offer to God the prayers which Jesus poured out for us on the altar, and they are lovingly accepted. In return, we grow in union with Our Lord.
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June 19
"All for the Eucharist; nothing for me."
-St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Today's Reflection
After experiencing the grace of seeing Our Lord and the vision of His Sacred Heart, St. Margaret Mary was inspired to give her life over more completely and entirely to the love and service to Our Lord. Ponder how you can follow her example in doing all for Jesus and nothing for yourself.
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June 18
"My Divine Heart is so passionately in love with humanity that it can no longer contain within itself the flames of its ardent love. It must pour them out through [you], and manifest itself to them with its precious treasures, which contain all the graces which they need to be saved.”
-Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
Today's Reflection
Jesus says that we are the instruments for His love to be poured out upon humanity. Are you open to being an instrument of His love? Why or why not?
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PM writes: "
My children attend a Catholic Primary school in Australia. They tell me they do meditation at school and use the word 'Maranatha.' Is this in line with Catholic teaching? Should I exclude them from these sessions. I just read a blog of yours about centering prayer, (John Main). This seems to be exactly what they do, empty their minds and repeat the word 'Maranatha'. What do you think?"
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June 17
"O souls that I love, I [suffered] to teach you not to faint under your burdens. Never count them as useless, even if you are unable to reckon the result. Submit your judgment and leave the divine will free to do with you whatsoever it wills…remain in My peace. I am always with you even when you do not see Me. How many times Jesus told His disciples and the mothers: ‘Let the little children come to Me, for of such is the Kingdom of God.’”
-Sister Josefa Menendez
Today's Reflection
In this short reflection, Jesus gives us the key to remaining in His peace. How can you more fully embrace and live this truth in your own life today?
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Chastity is counter-cultural. It's probably THE most counter-cultural virtue there is.
It is no coincidence that in the month that the world glorifies “Pride,” God has elevated a man whose chastity is to be revered…St. Joseph. And today, many Catholics across the globe celebrate personal devotion to his Most Chaste Heart.
What is chastity? In short, the Catechism of the Catholic Church describes chastity as follows: “Chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being. Sexuality, in which man's belonging to the bodily and biological world is expressed, becomes personal and truly human when it is integrated into the relationship of one person to another, in the complete and lifelong mutual gift of a man and a woman. The virtue of chastity, therefore, involves the integrity of the person and the integrality of the gift.” CCC, 2337
Aside from Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph is the pre-eminent example of chastity. To guard the virginity of both his son and his wife, St. Joseph had to live out the virtue of chastity more perfectly than any other man. He was integrated, body and soul, and his life and sexuality were a lifelong gift in service to God, to Our Lord, and to Our Blessed Mother. A total gift of self.
Though not a liturgical feast day, many Catholics observe the first Wednesday after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in devotion to the Most Chaste Heart of St. Joseph. This personal devotion goes back as far St. John Eudes in 1600 and has also been referenced by St. Bernardine of Siena, St. Francis de Sales, and St. John XXIII.
There has even been a recent investigation and
approval by the local ordinary of an apparition of St. Joseph to a young college student in Brazil to whom St. Joseph reportedly gave many promises to those who revere his Most Chaste Heart. This apparition has not received magisterial approval but is another indication of God's desire to highlight St. Joseph, for such a time as this.
Even if we choose not to embrace this personal devotion, we can certainly honor St. Joseph as a model of chastity. In a world that seems to grow more upside down and inside out every day, we need St. Joseph's counter-cultural example of chastity now more than ever.
St. Joseph, Most Chaste, pray for us.
To learn more about St. Joseph and the virtue of chastity, please enjoy these resources.
Please join us for this week's week’s Women of Grace Rosary Crusade.
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