Saturday, May 11, 2024
Friday, May 10, 2024
ASK THE FATHER IN MY NAME AND YOU WILL RECEIVE.
ASK & YOU SHALL RECEIVE SO YOUR JOY WILL BE COMPLETE.
"Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
"Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
“I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father.
"On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” (John 16: 23 - 28).
Saturday May 11th 2024 in the 6th Week in the Easter Season.
In today's Gospel, Jesus gave three assurances during the Last Supper Discourse that Prayers of Petition to the Father in the Name of Jesus is guaranteed to be answered. These assurances are listed below.
1. "Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
2. "Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
3. "On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God.
Why does Jesus start this part of the Sermon on Prayer with "Amen, Amen"?
Why does Jesus repeat the same idea of "Ask the Father in My name and you are guaranteed to receive" three times?
Prayer is a vital necessity. No disciple of Jesus can survive without regular, persistent, faith-filled prayer. Prayer is to Christian life what engine oil is to the car. It lubricates the moving parts and makes the engine work smoothly.
The Pentecost Novena started after the Ascension in the Upper Room with the Blessed Virgin Mary present and all the Apostles. They prayed for nine days till the Descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday. Ask and you shall receive. The Community in the Upper Room asked the Father for the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus and received the Precious and Awesome Spirit.
The Church honors the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Month of May.
Honor Mary through the Holy Rosary, Litany, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Consecration to The Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pilgrimages, etc.
For the Litany, 15 Promises of Mary, Consecration Prayer, etc and Prayer intentions click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/04/may-devotion-to-mary.html?m=1
Thursday, May 09, 2024
FEAST OF ST DAMIEN OF MOLOKAI, PATRON SAINT OF LEPERS.
FEAST OF ST DAMIEN OF MOLOKAI.
"Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
"When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.
"So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
"On that day you will not question me about anything.
"Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” (John 16: 20 - 23).
Friday 10th May 2024 in the 6th Week in the Easter Season.
Today is the feast of St Damien Joseph de Veuster of Molokai. (1840 - 1889). Priest. Belgian missionary. Father Damien requested to be sent to the leper colony in Molokai, in Hawaii where he spent the rest of his life ministering to lepers.
Four of these years were lived in confinement after he contracted leprosy.
St Damien was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2009. He is the patron saint of people with leprosy.
In the Gospel of today, we encounter Jesus and His disciples still huddled together in the Upper Room celebrating His last Supper.
Jesus is departing from His disciples who would no longer be able to encounter Him in the familiar manner they had been accustomed. He is using all types of promises to encourage and reasure them. They must wait patiently for the fruition of their work as a pregnant woman understands that she must wait patiently for the baby to be ready or the farmer wait for the crops to mature for harvest.
The last promise of Jesus on this occasion is breathtaking.
"Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.”
The promises and teachings of Jesus on Prayer are pointed. Viz:
1. Prayer is a vital necessity. (Luke 18: 1).
2. Pray with expectant faith. (Mark 11: 24).
When you pray with expectant faith about something the Holy Spirit has prompted you to pray about, you can get instant answer.
Prayer is the Activator of Power. Welcome the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the God in us Who prompts us to pray for something at the right time when God is ready to make that gift to us.
I share here two personal experiences about Prayer.
1. I find the joy of answered prayer an intense joy.
2. The second thing is that most of the good things I have enjoyed in life have come through Prayer.
The Church honors the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Month of May.
Honor Mary through the Holy Rosary, Litany, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Consecration to The Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pilgrimages, etc.
For the Litany, 15 Promises of Mary, Consecration Prayer, etc and Prayer intentions click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/04/may-devotion-to-mary.html?m=1
PENTECOST NOVENA 2024
Novena to the
Holy Spirit
Begin by reciting the following prayer...
O Holy Spirit, Divine Consoler!
I adore you as my True God.
I bless You by uniting myself to the praises
You receive from the angel and saints.
I offer You my whole heart,
and I render You heartfelt thanks
for all the benefits You have bestowed
and do unceasingly bestow upon the world.
You are the author of all supernatural gifts
and who did enrich with immense favors the soul
of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the Mother of God,
I beseech you to visit me by Your grace and Your love,
and grant me the favor
I so earnestly seek in this novena...
State your request here...
O Holy Spirit,
spirit of truth,
come into our hearts:
shed the brightness of your light on all nations,
that they may be of one faith and pleasing to You.
Amen.
Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
Recite the prayer of the appropriate day...
DAY ONE
O Holy Spirit,
bestow upon us Your seven holy gifts.
Enlighten our understanding that we may know You.
Give us wisdom that Your will may be clear to us
and that we may accept it.
Grant us the gift of counsel
that we may always perceive what is right.
Fortify us that we may always be capable
of fulfilling Your Divine Will.
Inspire us with the spirit of learning
that we may be able to penetrate more deeply
into the truths that You have revealed.
Let our hearts be steeped in the spirit of childlikeness
that we may bring You joy.
Let us have proper fear of God
that we may never grieve You
or wander from the path of goodness.
Give us the fullness of Your gifts
that we may glorify You.
Amen.
Look with compassion upon us,
O Holy Spirit,
and grant us the favor we seek in this novena...
State your request here...
if it be in accordance with Your Holy Will.
DAY TWO
O Holy Spirit,
make me faithful in every thought,
and grant that I may always listen to your voice,
and watch for Your light,
and follow Your gracious inspirations.
I cling to You,
and give myself to You,
and ask You by Your compassion
to watch over me in my weakness.
Holding the pierced feet of Jesus,
looking at His Five Wounds,
trusting in His Precious Blood,
adoring His opened side and stricken heart,
I implore You adorable Spirit,
helper of my infirmity,
to keep me in Your grace,
now and always,
and grant us the favor we ask in this novena...
State your request here...
Amen.
Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
DAY THREE
Heavenly Father,
You have called me to be a member
of the mystical body of Your Son, Jesus Christ,
and to be a temple of the Holy Spirit.
I ask You to give me these gifts of the Holy Spirit:
wisdom, that I may understand the follies of this world;
understanding, that I may grasp more fully
the meaning of my existence
and the purpose of all things in the world;
counsel, that I may always choose the proper way;
fortitude, that I may remain faithful to You
under the pressure of temptation.;
piety, that I may revere You in all I do, think or say;
fear of the Lord, that should the motive of love fail me,
I may quickly be awakened to the eternal consequences of my deeds.
Visit me by Your grace
and Your love
and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...
State your request here...
Amen.
Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
DAY FOUR
O God, Who today by the light of the Holy Spirit
did instruct the hearts of the faithful,
give us, by the light of the same Holy Spirit,
a love for what is right and just
and a constant enjoyment of His comforts.
Pray Holy Spirit,
that I may strive to learn more of my faith;
that I may ever be conscious that reason in all
its human magnificence is capable of grasping
but a glimpse of the reality that is God.
Pray that I may accept as the motto of my life:
"All for the greater glory of God"
and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...
State your request here...
Amen.
Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
DAY FIVE
Come, O Spirit of sanctity,
from the glory of heaven
and send forth the radiance of Your light.
Father of all the poor,
light and peace of all hearts,
come with Your countless gifts.
Consoler in desolation;
refreshment full of loveliness,
come dear friend of my soul.
In weariness send repose;
breath gently cool refreshing breeze;
console the desolate who weep alone.
Light of Beatitude,
make our hearts ready;
come enter our souls.
Without Your grace,
man stands alone;
he cannot be good or sure.
Cleanse what is soiled;
heal what is wounded;
moisten what is arid.
Bend the stubborn will;
warm the cold heart;
guide the wandering footstep.
O Holy Spirit,
we beg You to give us grace through Your sevenfold power
and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...
State your request here...
Give us merit for the present,
and one day beatitude when we have finished our earthly journey.
Amen.
Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
DAY SIX
O Father in Heaven,
I beg You to send the Holy Spirit.
May Your Holy Spirit remind me
when I am apt to forget Your law.
Your love, Your promises.
May Your Holy Spirit strengthen my memory
to recall frequently Your sanctity,
omniscience, wisdom, and goodness,
faithfulness, and love.
May Your Holy Spirit encourage me when I am slothful;
strengthen me when I am weak;
enlighten me when I no longer can help myself.
Breathe into me, O Holy Spirit,
that I may do what is holy.
Stir me, that I may love what is holy.
Strengthen me, that I may preserve what is holy.
Protect me, Holy Spirit,
that I may never lose what is holy
and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...
State your request here...
Amen.
Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
DAY SEVEN
Come, Holy Spirit,
creator of all things:
come visit our hearts with Your power.
Fill with grace, friendly guest,
the hearts which You have created.
You are called the Consoler,
gift from the hand of God,
source of life, light, love,
and flame, highest good.
You are the pledge of sevenfold grace,
finger of the Father’s hand,
promised us by Him,
and You make our tongues speak the truth.
Cast light on our senses,
pour love into our hearts.
Grant our weak bodies strength
that they may never grow weary of doing good
and grant me the favor I so earnestly seek in this novena...
State your request here...
Keep the enemy far from us,
give us peace always,
let us willingly follow in Your footsteps
that we may be far removed from sin.
Grant that through You
we may grow in knowledge of the Father and of the Son,
and that we may ever strongly believe in You,
the Spirit of both.
Praise and honor be forever to the Father on the highest throne,
in the risen Son of God,
in the Consoler.
Amen.
Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
DAY EIGHT
O Holy Spirit,
life and light of the Church,
give us thoughts higher than our own thoughts,
and prayers better than our own prayers,
and powers beyond our own powers,
that we may love and live,
imitating Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Savior.
Come to us, Holy Spirit,
come with the Father
and the Son
and grant me the favor I so earnestly request in this novena...
State your request here...
Vouchsafe to dwell within our souls
and quickly make our hearts Your own.
Quench in us the fires of hate and strife,
the wasting fever of the heart.
From perils guard our feeble life
and to our souls Your peace impart.
Let voice and mind and heart
and strength confess
and glorify Your name
and let the fire of charity burn bright
and other hearts inflame.
Amen.
Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
DAY NINE
O Lord, Holy Spirit,
grant me sight to see the wondrous promise of divine love;
insight to see my own weakness;
delight in Your divine presence in my soul
which You have made Your temple through sanctifying grace.
I pray, O Holy Spirit,
that I may be not doubting;
that I be spared the pain of being alone
without trust or hope in Christ;
that my prayer may always be "My Lord and my God!"
I pray that I may acquire a sense of retreat
to prayer and recollection at various times in my daily life;
for prayer is the bond that joins us to Christ.
I pray that I may be aware of the physical needs of the poor
and that I may share what I can with them
in the charitable works of the Church.
I pray, O Holy Spirit,
that You will in Your mercy
grant me the favor I have sought in this novena...
State your request here...
Amen.
Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
Wednesday, May 08, 2024
JOY COMES IN THE MORNING.
YOUR GRIEF WILL BECOME JOY.
"Jesus said to his disciples: “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.”
"So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
"So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks? We do not know what he means.”
"Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’?
"Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.” (John 16: 16 - 20).
Thursday May 9th in the 6th Week in the Easter Season.
YOUR GRIEF WILL BECOME JOY.
Have you ever had an experience in life when your grief becomes joy?
Jesus gives the best example with child birth when a woman in labor groans in pain but soon experiences the joy of holding a baby in her arms.
YOUR GRIEF WILL BECOME JOY. This is the word of Jesus, a prophecy to encourage every Christian to persevere in the sometimes challenging day to day trials of remaining faithful to Jesus.
If you want to serve and follow Jesus day after day, you must be imbued with the Holy Spirit. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that you can succeed.
The 2024 Novena of the Holy Spirit starts tomorrow, Thursday the 9th day of May. The 9-day Novena ends on the eve of Pentecost Sunday.
If you have never made this Novena, this may be your most exciting investment in life.
For the Pentecost Novena, click the link below:
YOUR GRIEF WILL BECOME JOY.
"Jesus said to his disciples: “A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.”
"So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
"So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks? We do not know what he means.”
"Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’?
"Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.” (John 16: 16 - 20).
Thursday May 9th in the 6th Week in the Easter Season.
YOUR GRIEF WILL BECOME JOY.
Have you ever had an experience in life when your grief becomes joy?
Jesus gives the best example of child birth when a woman in labor groans in pain but soon experiences the joy of holding a baby in her arms.
YOUR GRIEF WILL BECOME JOY. This is the word of Jesus, a prophecy to encourage every Christian to persevere in the sometimes challenging day to day trials of remaining faithful to Jesus.
If you want to serve and follow Jesus day after day, you must be imbued with the Holy Spirit. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that you can succeed.
The 2024 Novena of the Holy Spirit starts tomorrow, Thursday the 9th day of May. The 9-days Novena ends on the eve of Pentecost Sunday.
If you have never made this Novena, this may be your most exciting investment in life.
For the Pentecost Novena, click the link below:
