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Daily Reading Friday 31st December 2021

Friday 31 December 2021 7th day within the octave of Christmas  (optional commemoration of Saint Silvester I, Pope) Liturgical Colour: White.


Entrance Antiphon:
Isaiah 9: 5

A child is born for us, and a son is given to us;
his sceptre of power rests upon his shoulder,
and his name will be called Messenger of great counsel.


Collect:

Almighty ever-living God,
who in the Nativity of your Son
established the beginning and fulfilment of all religion,
grant, we pray, that we may be numbered
among those who belong to him,
in whom is the fullness of human salvation.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.


First Reading:
1 John 2:18-21
You have been anointed by the Holy One

Children, these are the last days; you were told that an Antichrist must come, and now several antichrists have already appeared; we know from this that these are the last days. Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged; if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us; but they left us, to prove that not one of them ever belonged to us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and have all received the knowledge. It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you but rather because you know it already and know that no lie can come from the truth.


Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 95(96):1-2,11-13

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.

O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Proclaim his help day by day,

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,
let the sea and all within it thunder praise,
let the land and all it bears rejoice,
all the trees of the wood shout for joy
at the presence of the Lord for he comes,
he comes to rule the earth.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.

With justice he will rule the world,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.


Gospel Acclamation:

Alleluia, Alleluia!
A hallowed day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, worship the Lord,
for today a great light has shone down upon the earth.
Alleluia!

Or:
John 1:14,12

Alleluia, Alleluia!
The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.
To all who received him he gave power to become children of God.
Alleluia!


Gospel:
John 1:1-18
The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to all who believe in the name of him
who was born not out of human stock
or urge of the flesh
or will of man
but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me
because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.


Prayer over the Offerings:

O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace,
graciously grant that, through this offering,
we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty
and, by partaking of the sacred mystery,
we may be faithfully united in mind and heart.
Through Christ our Lord.


Communion Antiphon:
1 John 4: 9

God sent his Only Begotten Son into the world,
so that we might have life through him.


Prayer after Communion:

May your people, O Lord,
whom you guide and sustain in many ways,
experience, both now and in the future,
the remedies which you bestow,
that, with the needed solace of things that pass away,
they may strive with ever deepened trust for things eternal.
Through Christ our Lord.




Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tagged With: 1 John 2:18-21, Father Marcin Drabik, John 1:1-18, Psalm 95(96):1-2 11-13, St Swithuns RC Church Southsea

Daily Services Friday 31st December 2021

Tagged With: 1 John 2:18-21, Father Marcin Drabik, John 1:1-18, Psalm 95(96):1-2 11-13, St Swithuns RC Church Southsea, Universalis

Daily Reading Thursday 30th December 2021

Thursday 30 December 2021 6th day within the octave of Christmas  Liturgical Colour: White.


Entrance Antiphon:
Wisdom 18: 14-15

When a profound silence covered all things
and night was in the middle of its course,
your all-powerful Word, O Lord,
bounded from heaven’s royal throne.


Collect:

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that the newness of the Nativity in the flesh
of your Only Begotten Son may set us free,
for ancient servitude holds us bound
beneath the yoke of sin.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.


First Reading:
1 John 2:12-17
Observance of the will of God

I am writing to you, my own children, whose sins have already been forgiven through his name; I am writing to you, fathers, who have come to know the one who has existed since the beginning; I am writing to you, young men, who have already overcome the Evil One; I have written to you, children, because you already know the Father; I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who has existed since the beginning; I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and God’s word has made its home in you, and you have overcome the Evil One. You must not love this passing world or anything that is in the world. The love of the Father cannot be in any man who loves the world, because nothing the world has to offer – the sensual body, the lustful eye, pride in possessions – could ever come from the Father but only from the world; and the world, with all it craves for, is coming to an end; but anyone who does the will of God remains for ever.


Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 95(96):7-10

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.

Give the Lord, you families of peoples,
give the Lord glory and power;
give the Lord the glory of his name.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.

Bring an offering and enter his courts,
worship the Lord in his temple.
O earth, tremble before him.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.

Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’
The world he made firm in its place;
he will judge the peoples in fairness.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.


Gospel Acclamation:
Hebrews 1:1-2

Alleluia, Alleluia!
At various times in the past
and in various different ways,
God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;
but in our own time, the last days,
he has spoken to us through his Son.
Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, Alleluia!
A hallowed day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, worship the Lord,
for today a great light has shone down upon the earth.
Alleluia!


Gospel:
Luke 2:36-40
Anna speaks of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem

There was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.


Prayer over the Offerings:

Receive with favour, O Lord, we pray,
the offerings of your people,
that what they profess with devotion and faith
may be theirs through these heavenly mysteries.
Through Christ our Lord.


Communion Antiphon:
John 1: 16

From his fullness we have all received,
grace upon grace.


Prayer after Communion:

O God, who touch us through our partaking of your Sacrament,
work, we pray, the effects of its power in our hearts,
that we may be made fit to receive your gift
through this very gift itself.
Through Christ our Lord.




Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tagged With: 1 John 2:12-17, Father Marcin Drabik, Luke 2:36-40, Psalm 95(96):7-10, St Swithuns RC Church Southsea

Daily Services Thursday 30th December 2021

Tagged With: 1 John 2:12-17, Father Marcin Drabik, Luke 2:36-40, Psalm 95(96):7-10, St Swithuns RC Church Southsea, Universalis

Daily Reading Wednesday 29th December 2021

Wednesday 29 December 2021 Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop, Martyr – Feast  Liturgical Colour: Red.


Entrance Antiphon:
Cf. Psalm 118:46,47

In the presence of kings, O Lord, I will declare your will,
for your commands have been my delight.


Collect:

O God, who gave the Martyr Saint Thomas Becket
the courage to give up his life for the sake of justice,
grant, through his intercession,
that, renouncing our life
for the sake of Christ in this world,
we may find it in heaven.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Or:

O God, who gave to your Bishop Saint Thomas
the grace to lay aside all earthly fear
and be faithful even unto death,
grant, we pray, at his intercession
that your people disregarding worldly esteem
may resist what is wrong, uphold your rule
and serve you to their life’s end.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.


First Reading:
Colossians 1:24-29
I became the servant of the Church

It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my own body to do what I can to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church. I became the servant of the Church when God made me responsible for delivering God’s message to you, the message which was a mystery hidden for generations and centuries and has now been revealed to his saints. It was God’s purpose to reveal it to them and to show all the rich glory of this mystery to pagans. The mystery is Christ among you, your hope of glory: this is the Christ we proclaim, this is the wisdom in which we thoroughly train everyone and instruct everyone, to make them all perfect in Christ. It is for this I struggle wearily on, helped only by his power driving me irresistibly.


Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 22(23)

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
to revive my drooping spirit.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me along the right path;
he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
with these you give me comfort.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

You have prepared a banquet for me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
for ever and ever.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.


Gospel Acclamation:
Matthew 5:6

Alleluia, Alleluia!
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
they shall be satisfied.
Alleluia!


Gospel:
Luke 22:24-30
I confer a kingdom on you, just as the Father conferred one on me

A dispute arose between the disciples about which should be reckoned the greatest, but Jesus said to them:

‘Among pagans it is the kings who lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are given the title Benefactor. This must not happen with you. No; the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest, the leader as if he were the one who serves. For who is the greater: the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here am I among you as one who serves!

‘You are the men who have stood by me faithfully in my trials; and now I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father conferred one on me: you will eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.’


Prayer over the Offerings:

May the offerings we bring
in celebration of Saint Thomas
be acceptable to you, we pray, O Lord,
so that they may be pleasing to your majesty
just as the shedding of this Martyr’s blood
was precious in your sight.
Through Christ our Lord.


Communion Antiphon:
Matthew 10:39

Whoever loses his life for my sake
will find it in eternity, says the Lord.


Prayer after Communion:

May the sacred mysteries of which we have partaken,
O Lord, we pray,
give us that determination which made your blessed Martyr N.
faithful in your service
and victorious in suffering.
Through Christ our Lord.




Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tagged With: Colossians 1:24-29, Father Marcin Drabik, Luke 22:24-30, Psalm 22(23), St Swithuns RC Church Southsea

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SATURDAY 27/02/20219.00am - The Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament9.30am - The Holy Rosary prayer followed by Benediction10.00am - The Holy Mass. Intention: For Kit Brownie ... See MoreSee Less

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In God I Trust in all He says And in all He does Amen

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LECTIO DIVINA - Saturday 27/02/2021, ar 6.00am ... See MoreSee Less

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SATURDAY - of The 1ST Week of Lent - 27-02-2021“Let us build an Ark this Lent that is strong enough to withstand the pressures of the world”ST SWITHUN's CHURCH IS OPEN FOR PUBLIC CELEBRATIONS:- please keep a proper distance;- sanitize a place which was in contact of your body;- if you will come with children, please do not allow children to walk, run in the church, to avoid many any contact with other people and more places touched which will ne to be sanitize;- keep one direction way and exit the church by the deigned exits;- Please do bear this in mind: the doors must be left open for a good ventilation, so as the temperature drops in the weeks ahead it will be important to wrap-up warm;SACRAMNET OF CONFESSION FROM 9.00am to 9.25am OUR PLAN IS: (also live-streamed):At 6.00am – Lectio Divina (Divine Reading – a way of Christian Morning Meditation) [available: live-streaming by our Facebook Profile]6.30am - The Holy Mass (in Polish): 25th Gregorian Mass for+ Katarzyna Majecka RIP;9.00am - Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament;9.30am - The Holy Rosary prayer followed by Benediction;10.00am - The Holy Mass. Intention: Kit Brownie - special intentions; (homily theme: ‘Mercy in Sodom’)At 3.00pm – ATTENTION!!! - there will be no HOUR of MERCY (except Fridays)6.00pm - VIGIL MASS OF THE FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT. Mass. Intention: For Barbara Drabik on Her 70th Birthday;at 7.15 PM - 20 minutes with Children about Sunday's Gospel (through 'Zoom' - invitation published on Facebook)PLEASE, pray today especially for our Dear Vincenzo's Parents, Caroline, Stasiek, Stanislawa, Marysia, Kathleen & Kevin, Jo, Maria, Mary, Joanna's Parents, Anne, Joey, Charlie, Xander, our First Communion Children, especially this week - Juliet and Her Family, for our Parish, AND For our PARISH ONLINE CATHOLIC SCHOOL😇🙏 ... See MoreSee Less

4 hours ago
SATURDAY - of The 1ST Week of Lent - 27-02-2021

“Let us build an Ark this Lent that is strong enough to withstand the pressures of the world”

ST SWITHUNs CHURCH IS OPEN FOR PUBLIC CELEBRATIONS:

- please keep a proper distance;
- sanitize a place which was in contact of your body;
- if you will come with children, please do not allow children to walk, run in the church, to avoid many any contact with other people and more places touched which will ne to be sanitize;
- keep one direction way and exit the church by the deigned exits;
- Please do bear this in mind: the doors must be left open for a good ventilation, so as the temperature drops in the weeks ahead it will be important to wrap-up warm;

SACRAMNET OF CONFESSION FROM 9.00am to 9.25am 

OUR PLAN IS: (also live-streamed):

At 6.00am – Lectio Divina (Divine Reading – a way of Christian Morning Meditation) [available: live-streaming by our Facebook Profile]

6.30am - The Holy Mass (in Polish): 25th Gregorian Mass for+ Katarzyna Majecka RIP;

9.00am - Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament;

9.30am - The Holy Rosary prayer followed by Benediction;

10.00am - The Holy Mass. Intention: Kit Brownie - special intentions; (homily theme: ‘Mercy in Sodom’)

At 3.00pm – ATTENTION!!! - there will be no HOUR of MERCY (except Fridays)

6.00pm - VIGIL MASS OF THE FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT. Mass. Intention: For Barbara Drabik on Her 70th Birthday;

at 7.15 PM - 20 minutes with Children about Sundays Gospel (through Zoom - invitation published on Facebook)

PLEASE, pray today especially for our Dear Vincenzos Parents, Caroline, Stasiek, Stanislawa, Marysia, Kathleen & Kevin, Jo, Maria, Mary, Joannas Parents, Anne, Joey, Charlie, Xander, our First Communion Children, especially this week - Juliet and Her Family, for our Parish, AND For our PARISH ONLINE CATHOLIC SCHOOL😇🙏
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LECTIO DIVINA (live streaming at 6.00am)Saturday, February 27, 2021The meaning of prayer, almsgiving and fastingThe way to spend the time of Lent wellCome, Holy Spirit, Creator blest,and in our souls take up Thy rest;come with Thy grace and heavenly aidto fill the hearts which Thou hast made.O comforter, to Thee we cry,O heavenly gift of God Most High,O fount of life and fire of love,and sweet anointing from above.Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;Thou, finger of God's hand we own;Thou, promise of the Father,Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.Kindle our sense from above,and make our hearts o'erflow with love;with patience firm and virtue highthe weakness of our flesh supply.Far from us drive the foe we dread,and grant us Thy peace instead;so shall we not, with Thee for guide,turn from the path of life aside.Oh, may Thy grace on us bestowthe Father and the Son to know;and Thee, through endless times confessed,of both the eternal Spirit blest.Now to the Father and the Son,Who rose from death, be glory given,with Thou, O Holy Comforter,henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.Opening prayerLord God, from you comes the initiative of love. You seek us out and you tell us:“I am your God; you are my people.” You love us in Jesus Christ, your Son.God, may our response of love go far beyond the demands of any law. May we seek you and commune with you in the deepest of our being and may we express our gratitude to you by going to our neighbor with a love that is spontaneous like yours. We ask you this through Christ our Lord.Psalm 1191 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the Law of the LORD.2 Blessed are they who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart.3 They do nothing wrong; they walk in His ways.4 You have laid down precepts to be fully obeyed.5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying all Your decrees!6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider Your commands.7 I will praise You with an upright heart as I learn Your righteous laws.8 I will obey all Your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. RepeatGospel Reading - Matthew 5: 43-48'You have heard how it was said, You will love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad aswell as the good, and sends down rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike.For if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even the tax collectors do as much? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doinganything exceptional? Do not even the gentiles do as much? You must therefore be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.'A moment of prayerful silence so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life. Reflection...Personal questions• To love the enemies. Am I capable to love my enemies?• Contemplate Jesus, in silence who at the hour of his death, he loved the enemy who killed him.Ave Maris StellaHail, O Star of the ocean,God's own Mother blest,ever sinless Virgin,gate of heav'nly rest. Taking that sweet Ave,which from Gabriel came,peace confirm within us,changing Eve's name.Break the sinners' fetters,make our blindness day,Chase all evils from us,for all blessings pray.Show thyself a Mother,may the Word divineborn for us thine Infanthear our prayers through thine.Virgin all excelling,mildest of the mild,free from guilt preserve usmeek and undefiled.Keep our life all spotless,make our way securetill we find in Jesus,joy for evermore.Praise to God the Father,honor to the Son,in the Holy Spirit,be the glory one. Amen.Concluding PrayerHow blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of Yahweh!Blessed are those who observe his instructions, who seek him with all their hearts (Ps 119: 1-2) ... See MoreSee Less

5 hours ago
LECTIO DIVINA (live streaming at 6.00am)

Saturday, February 27, 2021

The meaning of prayer, almsgiving and fasting
The way to spend the time of Lent well

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest,
and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.

Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;
Thou, finger of Gods hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father,
Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.

Kindle our sense from above,
and make our hearts oerflow with love;
with patience firm and virtue high
the weakness of our flesh supply.

Far from us drive the foe we dread,
and grant us Thy peace instead;
so shall we not, with Thee for guide,
turn from the path of life aside.

Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow
the Father and the Son to know;
and Thee, through endless times confessed,
of both the eternal Spirit blest.

Now to the Father and the Son,
Who rose from death, be glory given,
with Thou, O Holy Comforter,
henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.

Opening prayer
Lord God, from you comes the initiative of love. You seek us out and you tell us:
“I am your God; you are my people.” You love us in Jesus Christ, your Son.
God, may our response of love go far beyond the demands of any law. May we seek you and commune with you in the deepest of our being and may we express our gratitude to you by going to our neighbor with a love that is spontaneous like yours. We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Psalm 119
1 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,
 who walk according to the Law of the LORD.
2 Blessed are they who keep His statutes
 and seek Him with all their heart.
3 They do nothing wrong;
 they walk in His ways.
4 You have laid down precepts
 to be fully obeyed.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast
 in obeying all Your decrees!
6 Then I would not be put to shame
 when I consider Your commands.
7 I will praise You with an upright heart
 as I learn Your righteous laws.
8 I will obey all Your decrees;
 do not utterly forsake me. Repeat

Gospel Reading - Matthew 5: 43-48
You have heard how it was said, You will love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad as
well as the good, and sends down rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike.
For if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even the tax collectors do as much? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing
anything exceptional? Do not even the gentiles do as much? You must therefore be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

A moment of prayerful silence so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life. 

Reflection...

Personal questions
• To love the enemies. Am I capable to love my enemies?
• Contemplate Jesus, in silence who at the hour of his death, he loved the enemy who killed him.

Ave Maris Stella
Hail, O Star of the ocean,
Gods own Mother blest,
ever sinless Virgin,
gate of heavnly rest. 

Taking that sweet Ave,
which from Gabriel came,
peace confirm within us,
changing Eves name.

Break the sinners fetters,
make our blindness day,
Chase all evils from us,
for all blessings pray.

Show thyself a Mother,
may the Word divine
born for us thine Infant
hear our prayers through thine.

Virgin all excelling,
mildest of the mild,
free from guilt preserve us
meek and undefiled.

Keep our life all spotless,
make our way secure
till we find in Jesus,
joy for evermore.

Praise to God the Father,
honor to the Son,
in the Holy Spirit,
be the glory one. Amen.

Concluding Prayer
How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of Yahweh!
Blessed are those who observe his instructions, who seek him with all their hearts (Ps 119: 1-2)
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8/12 Day PreparationDay 8 of 33 - SATURDAY 27th FEBRUARY 2021 1. Read during: Light dispels darknessA Reading from the Book of Genesis:In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face ofthe waters. And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness hecalled Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. (Gen 1:1-5)Pope Benedict XVI’s Easter Vigil homily 2012:What is the creation account saying here? Light makes life possible. It makes encounter possible. It makes communication possible. It makes knowledge, access to reality and to truth, possible. And insofar as it makes knowledge possible, it makes freedom and progress possible. Evil hides. Light, then, is also an expression of the good that both is and creates brightness. It is daylight, which makes it possible for us to act. To say that God created light means that God created the world as a space for knowledge and truth, as a space for encounter and freedom, as a space for good and for love. Matter is fundamentally good, being itself is good. And evil does not come from God-made being, rather, it comes into existence only through denial. It is a “no”. At Easter, on the morning of the first day of the week, God said once again: “Let there be light”. The night on the Mount of Olives, the solar eclipse of Jesus’ passion and death, the night of the grave had all passed. Now it is the first day once again – creation is beginning anew. “Let therebe light”, says God, “and there was light”: Jesus rises from the grave. Life is stronger than death. Good is stronger than evil. Love is stronger than hate. Truth is stronger than lies. The darkness of the previous days is driven away the moment Jesus rises from the grave and himself becomes God’s pure light. But this applies not only to him, not only to the darkness of those days. With the resurrection of Jesus, light itself is created anew. He draws all of us after him into the new light of the resurrection and he conquers all darkness. He is God’s new day, new for all of us.But how is this to come about? How does all this affect us so that instead of remaining word it becomes a reality that draws us in? Through the sacrament of baptism and the profession of faith, the Lord has built a bridge across to us, through which the new day reaches us. The Lord says to the newly-baptized: Fiat lux – let there be light. God’s new day – the day of indestructible life, comes also to us. Christ takes you by the hand. From now on you are held byhim and walk with him into the light, into real life. For this reason the early Church called baptism photismos – illumination.Reflection:Saint Louis de Montfort reminded us that Baptism is an entrance into Mary’s womb. That is the place where we learn a new logic, where we are enlightened as to the real power, providenceand plan of God. It is where we first draw close to Christ, like a twin with Him in the womb and we are formed with Him by the Holy Spirit and we become another Christ. Have I allowedthe logic of God to be fully formed in me? Do I allow a new light from God to rise up in my mind and heart? Do I believe that, “Life is stronger than death, good is stronger than evil, loveis stronger than hate, truth is stronger than lies?” Will I take Christ’s Hand again, as I once did in Baptism, and allow myself to be illumined by the light of His Love? Let us do that especiallyby making a Profession of Faith and recite the Creed.2. Pray During a day:St. Louis De Montfort's Prayer to MaryHail Mary, beloved Daughter of the Eternal Father!Hail Mary, admirable Mother of the Son! Hail Mary,faithful spouse of the Holy Ghost! Hail Mary, my dearMother, my loving Mistress, my powerful sovereign!Hail my joy, my glory, my heart and my soul! Thouart all mine by mercy, and I am all thine by justice.But I am not yet sufficiently thine. I now give myselfwholly to thee without keeping anything back formyself or others. If thou still seest in me anythingwhich does not belong to thee, I beseech thee totake it and to make thyself the absolute Mistress ofall that is mine. Destroy in me all that may bedispleasing to God, root it up and bring it to nought;place and cultivate in me everything that is pleasingto thee.May the light of thy faith dispel the darkness of mymind; may thy profound humility take the place of mypride; may thy sublime contemplation check thedistractions of my wandering imagination; may thycontinuous sight of God fill my memory with Hispresence; may the burning love of thy heart inflamethe lukewarmness of mine; may thy virtues take theplace of my sins; may thy merits be my onlyadornment in the sight of God and make up for allthat is wanting in me. Finally, dearly beloved Mother,grant, if it be possible, that I may have no other spiritbut thine to know Jesus and His divine will; that Imay have no other soul but thine to praise andglorify the Lord; that I may have no other heart butthine to love God with a love as pure and ardent asthine I do not ask thee for visions, revelations,sensible devotion or spiritual pleasures. It is thyprivilege to see God clearly; it is thy privilege toenjoy heavenly bliss; it is thy privilege to triumphgloriously in Heaven at the right hand of thy Son andto hold absolute sway over angels, men anddemons; it is thy privilege to dispose of all the gifts ofGod, just as thou willest.Such is, O heavenly Mary, the "best part," which theLord has given thee and which shall never be takenaway from thee-and this thought fills my heart withjoy. As for my part here below, I wish for no otherthan that which was thine: to believe sincerelywithout spiritual pleasures; to suffer joyfully withouthuman consolation; to die continually to myselfwithout respite; and to work zealously andunselfishly for thee until death as the humblest of thyservants. The only grace I beg thee to obtain for meis that every day and every moment of my life I maysay: Amen, so be it's all that thou didst do while onearth; Amen, so be it's all that thou art now doing inHeaven; Amen, so be it-to all that thou art doing inmy soul, so that thou alone mayest fully glorify Jesusin me for time and eternity. Amen. 3. Prayer - Veni Creator & Ave Maris Stella at 6.00amCome, Holy Spirit, Creator blest,and in our souls take up Thy rest;come with Thy grace and heavenly aidto fill the hearts which Thou hast made.O comforter, to Thee we cry,O heavenly gift of God Most High,O fount of life and fire of love,and sweet anointing from above.Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;Thou, finger of God's hand we own;Thou, promise of the Father,Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.Kindle our sense from above,and make our hearts o'erflow with love;with patience firm and virtue highthe weakness of our flesh supply.Far from us drive the foe we dread,and grant us Thy peace instead;so shall we not, with Thee for guide,turn from the path of life aside.Oh, may Thy grace on us bestowthe Father and the Son to know;and Thee, through endless times confessed,of both the eternal Spirit blest.Now to the Father and the Son,Who rose from death, be glory given,with Thou, O Holy Comforter,henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.Ave Maris StellaHail, O Star of the ocean,God's own Mother blest,ever sinless Virgin,gate of heav'nly rest. Taking that sweet Ave,which from Gabriel came,peace confirm within us,changing Eve's name.Break the sinners' fetters,make our blindness day,Chase all evils from us,for all blessings pray.Show thyself a Mother,may the Word divineborn for us thine Infanthear our prayers through thine.Virgin all excelling,mildest of the mild,free from guilt preserve usmeek and undefiled.Keep our life all spotless,make our way securetill we find in Jesus,joy for evermore.Praise to God the Father,honor to the Son,in the Holy Spirit,be the glory one. Amen.3. Magnificat, and Glory Be- during HOUR of MERCY at 3 pmMagnificatMy soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me; and holy is His name. And His mercy is from generation to generations, to them that fear Him. He hath showed might in His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.He hath put down the mighty from their seat; and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. Amen.Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.Examine your conscience, pray, practice renouncement of your own will; mortification, purity of heart. This purity is the indispensable condition for contemplating God in heaven, to see Him on earth and to know Him by the light of faith. The first part of the preparation should be employed in casting off the spirit of the world which is contrary to that of Jesus Christ. The spirit of the world consists essentially in the denial of the supreme dominion of God; a denial which is manifested in practice by sin and disobedience; thus it is principally opposed to the spirit of Christ,which is also that of Mary. ... See MoreSee Less

5 hours ago
8/12 Day Preparation

Day 8 of 33 - SATURDAY 27th FEBRUARY 2021

 1. Read during: 

Light dispels darkness

A Reading from the Book of Genesis:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of
the waters. And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he
called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. (Gen 1:1-5)

Pope Benedict XVI’s Easter Vigil homily 2012:

What is the creation account saying here? Light makes life possible. It makes encounter possible. It makes communication possible. It makes knowledge, access to reality and to truth, possible. And insofar as it makes knowledge possible, it makes freedom and progress possible. Evil hides. Light, then, is also an expression of the good that both is and creates brightness. It is daylight, which makes it possible for us to act. To say that God created light means that God created the world as a space for knowledge and truth, as a space for encounter and freedom, as a space for good and for love. Matter is fundamentally good, being itself is good. And evil does not come from God-made being, rather, it comes into existence only through denial. It is a “no”. At Easter, on the morning of the first day of the week, God said once again: “Let there be light”. The night on the Mount of Olives, the solar eclipse of Jesus’ passion and death, the night of the grave had all passed. Now it is the first day once again – creation is beginning anew. “Let there
be light”, says God, “and there was light”: Jesus rises from the grave. Life is stronger than death. Good is stronger than evil. Love is stronger than hate. Truth is stronger than lies. The darkness of the previous days is driven away the moment Jesus rises from the grave and himself becomes God’s pure light. But this applies not only to him, not only to the darkness of those days. With the resurrection of Jesus, light itself is created anew. He draws all of us after him into the new light of the resurrection and he conquers all darkness. He is God’s new day, new for all of us.
But how is this to come about? How does all this affect us so that instead of remaining word it becomes a reality that draws us in? Through the sacrament of baptism and the profession of faith, the Lord has built a bridge across to us, through which the new day reaches us. The Lord says to the newly-baptized: Fiat lux – let there be light. God’s new day – the day of indestructible life, comes also to us. Christ takes you by the hand. From now on you are held by
him and walk with him into the light, into real life. For this reason the early Church called baptism photismos – illumination.

Reflection:

Saint Louis de Montfort reminded us that Baptism is an entrance into Mary’s womb. That is the place where we learn a new logic, where we are enlightened as to the real power, providence
and plan of God. It is where we first draw close to Christ, like a twin with Him in the womb and we are formed with Him by the Holy Spirit and we become another Christ. Have I allowed
the logic of God to be fully formed in me? Do I allow a new light from God to rise up in my mind and heart? Do I believe that, “Life is stronger than death, good is stronger than evil, love
is stronger than hate, truth is stronger than lies?” Will I take Christ’s Hand again, as I once did in Baptism, and allow myself to be illumined by the light of His Love? Let us do that especially
by making a Profession of Faith and recite the Creed.

2. Pray During a day:

St. Louis De Montforts Prayer to Mary

Hail Mary, beloved Daughter of the Eternal Father!
Hail Mary, admirable Mother of the Son! Hail Mary,
faithful spouse of the Holy Ghost! Hail Mary, my dear
Mother, my loving Mistress, my powerful sovereign!
Hail my joy, my glory, my heart and my soul! Thou
art all mine by mercy, and I am all thine by justice.
But I am not yet sufficiently thine. I now give myself
wholly to thee without keeping anything back for
myself or others. If thou still seest in me anything
which does not belong to thee, I beseech thee to
take it and to make thyself the absolute Mistress of
all that is mine. Destroy in me all that may be
displeasing to God, root it up and bring it to nought;
place and cultivate in me everything that is pleasing
to thee.
May the light of thy faith dispel the darkness of my
mind; may thy profound humility take the place of my
pride; may thy sublime contemplation check the
distractions of my wandering imagination; may thy
continuous sight of God fill my memory with His
presence; may the burning love of thy heart inflame
the lukewarmness of mine; may thy virtues take the
place of my sins; may thy merits be my only
adornment in the sight of God and make up for all
that is wanting in me. Finally, dearly beloved Mother,
grant, if it be possible, that I may have no other spirit
but thine to know Jesus and His divine will; that I
may have no other soul but thine to praise and
glorify the Lord; that I may have no other heart but
thine to love God with a love as pure and ardent as
thine I do not ask thee for visions, revelations,
sensible devotion or spiritual pleasures. It is thy
privilege to see God clearly; it is thy privilege to
enjoy heavenly bliss; it is thy privilege to triumph
gloriously in Heaven at the right hand of thy Son and
to hold absolute sway over angels, men and
demons; it is thy privilege to dispose of all the gifts of
God, just as thou willest.
Such is, O heavenly Mary, the best part, which the
Lord has given thee and which shall never be taken
away from thee-and this thought fills my heart with
joy. As for my part here below, I wish for no other
than that which was thine: to believe sincerely
without spiritual pleasures; to suffer joyfully without
human consolation; to die continually to myself
without respite; and to work zealously and
unselfishly for thee until death as the humblest of thy
servants. The only grace I beg thee to obtain for me
is that every day and every moment of my life I may
say: Amen, so be its all that thou didst do while on
earth; Amen, so be its all that thou art now doing in
Heaven; Amen, so be it-to all that thou art doing in
my soul, so that thou alone mayest fully glorify Jesus
in me for time and eternity. Amen. 

3. Prayer - Veni Creator & Ave Maris Stella at 6.00am

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest,
and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;
Thou, finger of Gods hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father,
Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above,
and make our hearts oerflow with love;
with patience firm and virtue high
the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread,
and grant us Thy peace instead;
so shall we not, with Thee for guide,
turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow
the Father and the Son to know;
and Thee, through endless times confessed,
of both the eternal Spirit blest.
Now to the Father and the Son,
Who rose from death, be glory given,
with Thou, O Holy Comforter,
henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.

Ave Maris Stella

Hail, O Star of the ocean,
Gods own Mother blest,
ever sinless Virgin,
gate of heavnly rest.    
Taking that sweet Ave,
which from Gabriel came,
peace confirm within us,
changing Eves name.
Break the sinners fetters,
make our blindness day,
Chase all evils from us,
for all blessings pray.
Show thyself a Mother,
may the Word divine
born for us thine Infant
hear our prayers through thine.
Virgin all excelling,
mildest of the mild,
free from guilt preserve us
meek and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless,
make our way secure
till we find in Jesus,
joy for evermore.
Praise to God the Father,
honor to the Son,
in the Holy Spirit,
be the glory one. Amen.

3. Magnificat, and Glory Be- during HOUR of MERCY at 3 pm

Magnificat

My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me; and holy is His name. And His mercy is from generation to generations, to them that fear Him. He hath showed might in His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat; and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Examine your conscience, pray, practice renouncement of your own will; mortification, purity of heart. This purity is the indispensable condition for contemplating God in heaven, to see Him on earth and to know Him by the light of faith. The first part of the preparation should be employed in casting off the spirit of the world which is contrary to that of Jesus Christ. The spirit of the world consists essentially in the denial of the supreme dominion of God; a denial which is manifested in practice by sin and disobedience; thus it is principally opposed to the spirit of Christ,
which is also that of Mary.
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