Dear Friend in Christ,

Thank you for joining with us in prayer during this monumental time for our Archdiocese. We are so grateful for you! During the next two years we will worship and pray together, listen to God together and converse with one another. Our hope for this time is to discern what God desires for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. But we also hope that this discernment process will personally draw us more deeply into the love of the Lord and help us to grow in love for one another. To do this we begin with prayer.

This prayer journal is a guide for our journey. It is designed to lead us in discernment for our local Church while also providing an opportunity for each individual to learn and grow. It also will connect us to the greater Catholic Church as the Scripture passages will be largely taken from the daily Mass readings for the liturgical calendar.

As we begin, we turn to Saint Paul, who so beautifully expresses gratitude and prayer for you and for our local Church:

Therefore, I too, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all the holy ones, do not cease in giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,   that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.   May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might… (Ephesians 1:15-19)

May God bless you and our Archdiocese,The Team for the 2021 SynodArchdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

About this journalEach month will begin with a specific intention for our Archdiocesan Synod. We encourage all the faithful of the local Church to join us in praying together for that intention.

There will be a brief reflection for each week followed by a recommended Scripture passage for the day and a prompt to get you started. Since the Scripture passages will come from the daily Mass readings they can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings.

Please remember that this journal is a meant as an offering, not an obligation. We encourage you to use it in whatever way serves you best.

Why Pray?The very first paragraph of the Catechism of the Catholic Church begins:

God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness, freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength (CCC 1)

God is drawing close to us. Are we willing to seek him, to know him, to love him with all our strength? We begin the journey of seeking, knowing and loving him in prayer.

What is prayer?God desires each of us to enter into a vital and personal relationship with him. This relationship is prayer (CCC 2558). Just as each relationship between two people is unique, so is each relationship between a person and God. Consequently, there is not a given formula for prayer. It is more important that a person prays than how a person prays.

We have the gift, however, of being able to learn from one another, from the saints and from people in the church who are particularly gifted at prayer. Therefore we will be offering suggestions from the experts to help us get started.

We encourage each person to discover how God speaks most clearly to him or her. Feel free to try different forms of prayer, but do not feel pressured to try them all. In fact, if you find a particular way of prayer leads you to intimacy with God, continue to pray that way until God draws you in a new direction.

Finally, it is good for us to remember that prayer is God’s gift to us:

“If you knew the gift of God!" The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: There, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks us for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God's desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him. (CCC 2560)

How to Pray?Since prayer is going to flow from our unique relationship with God, it is up to us to discover how God wants to communicate with us. To do this we seek to learn to listen to his voice in our hearts. The following is one method that might be helpful for us as we begin:

Always begin by recalling that you’re in the Presence of God: It’s easy to launch into prayer without realizing that you are called to enter into a conversation with God. One priest remarked that for many people, prayer is just “worrying on one’s knees.” Take a moment to recall that God is always with you and that he desires this time with you even more than you do. Ask him to help and guide you as you pray.

A-R-R-R: Acknowledge – Relate – Receive – Respond

Acknowledge: After you become aware of God’s Presence, it’s important to become aware of your own heart. Take some time to acknowledge your thoughts, feelings, and desires as you begin to pray. Acknowledge your physical and emotional needs (“I’m tired; I’m hungry; I’m worried; I’m excited; I’m lonely;” etc.), but try to also acknowledge the spiritual stirrings within you (“I want to be free from this temptation to sin; I feel God is leading me to do this; I want more of what God wants to give me;” etc.) If there is a particular grace you are seeking, write it down. Perhaps it will be answered immediately. Perhaps you will see over time that God is putting a certain desire into your heart to prepare you for what he wants to give you.

Relate: Once you have acknowledged the stirrings of your heart, relate them to God. It’s easy to just think about these things and assume God knows them, but he wants you to share them with him. Tell him what is in your heart. Ask him about anything that’s troubling you. Share your desires with him. He loves having a “heart-to-heart” with you!

Receive: After sharing your heart with God, allow him to share his heart with you. This is a time to quiet your own heart and mind and listen to God who loves you. Perhaps he will speak through a reflection you read, or a scripture passage, or simply with a “still small voice” inside you. (See 1 Kings 19:12-13)

Respond: To end your time of prayer, respond to God. Thank him for what you received; resolve to do what he asks of you; tell him how much you love him.

Journaling is a great way to conclude your prayer time. It often helps to process what took place during your conversation with God. It also can be very helpful to refer back to your notes in future times of discouragement or discernment. Many times God is doing a work in you that takes days, months, perhaps even years. Journaling can help you learn to recognize the subtle ways God is carrying out his good purpose in you. (See Romans 8:28)

A Word of Encouragement from Saint Ambrose

God’s temple is holy; you are his temple.

My Father and I will come and make our home with you. Let your door stand open to receive him, unlock your soul to him, offer him a welcome in your mind, and then you will see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, the joy of grace. Throw wide the gate of your heart, stand before the sun of the everlasting light that shines on every man. This true light shines on all, but if anyone closes his window he will deprive himself of eternal light. If you shut the door of your mind, you shut out Christ. Though he can enter, he does not want to force his way in rudely, or compel us to admit him against our will.

… It is the soul that has its door, its gates. Christ comes to this door and knocks; he knocks at these gates. Open to him; he wants to enter, to find his bride waiting and watching.

Prayer Intention for September 2019:

Lord, we desire to know your will for our archdiocese. This month we ask in a special way for the archangels’ intercession to help us to listen.

“That through prayer and mutual listening, we will together discern the movements of the Holy Spirit guiding the Archdiocesan Synod, and be led to a more vigorous proclamation of Jesus’ good news, we pray to the Lord. “

Three Archangels with Tobias, Francesco Botticini, 1470

(The Creation of Adam, Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo 1508-1512)

September 1-7, 2019: “Know that the LORD is God; he made us, his we are.” (Psalm 100:3)

Since prayer is all about our relationship with God, we want to begin by discovering who we are to him. Sacred Scripture begins with God creating. He creates the heavens and the earth; he creates light, the sun, the moon and the stars. He separates the water from the dry land and fills the earth with vegetation and every kind of living creature, wild and tame. He surveys the marvelous work of his hands and behold, it is good.

“Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the earth. God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them…”(Genesis 1:26-28).

Now when he looks at all that he has made, he finds it very good. What do I see when I look at myself? Do I see the person that God sees? Do I see that I am very good? Pope Benedict at his inaugural Mass said, “…only where God is seen does life truly begin. Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary. There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know him and to speak to others of our friendship with him.” God, surprise us!

September 1: Lord, we want to begin our journey with humility: “Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God.” (Sirach 3:18). Help me to grow in humility as I pray with today’s Gospel, Luke 14:7-14.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 2: Lord in today’s Gospel we hear that you were sent to “bring sight to the blind.” Help me to see what you desire for me and for our Archdiocese as I pray with Luke 4:16-21.

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September 3: Today’s psalm says, “I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.” Lord, teach me how to “seek your face” as I pray with Psalm 27.

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September 4: St. Paul wrote, “Just as in the whole world [the Gospel] is bearing fruit and growing, so also among you…” (Colossians 1:6). Lord, show us how you want to bear fruit in our Archdiocese as we pray with Colossians 1:1-8.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 5: Lord, fill me “…with the knowledge of God's will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to walk in a manner worthy of [you]” as I pray with Colossians 1:9-14.

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September 6: “Lord Jesus Christ, show me anew your love for me and that the Father created me ‘through you and for you’ (Colossians 1:16) as I pray with Colossians 1:15-20.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 7: Lord, show me how you want to help and sustain our Archdiocese as I pray with Psalm 54:3-8.______________________________________________________________________________

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(Dream of Solomon, Luca Giordano 1693)

September 8-14, 2019:  “Or who has known your counsel, except you had given wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high? And thus were the paths of those on earth made straight.” (Wisdom 9:17-18)

Early in King Solomon’s reign over Israel, the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said “Whatever you ask I shall give you.” (1 Kings 3:5) Solomon responded by asking for a “listening heart” (vs.9) which pleased the Lord who went on to grant Solomon’s request…and then blessed him with so much more!

This is a great lesson for us. To know what God desires for our Archdiocese, we must go to him. And to be able to hear him, we must ask him to give us a “listening heart.” This is how St. Paul describes prayer: In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.   And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will. (Romans 8:26&27)

Let us pray intentionally this week for God to give us a listening heart and wait in joyful hope to see how he answers that prayer.

September 8: Lord, teach me how to seek your counsel as I pray with Wisdom 9:13-18.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 9:  Lord, on this memorial of St. Peter Claver, help me to surrender to you like he did as I pray with Colossians 1:24-2:3: "I must dedicate myself to the service of God until death, on the understanding that I am like a slave." (Excerpt from St. Peter Claver’s notebook)______________________________________________________________________________

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September 10: Lord Jesus, you demonstrate in today’s Gospel the importance of prayer before making decisions. Teach me to do the same as I pray with Luke 6:12-19.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 11: Lord, you tell me what I must do for my reward to be great in heaven. Help me learn to live that way as I pray with Luke 6:20-26.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 12: Lord, as I pray with Colossians 3:12-17,“Let the word of Christ dwell in [me] richly,” and help me to hear what you desire for me and for our Archdiocese.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 13: Lord, “Remove the wooden beam from [my] eye” that I may see clearly where you are leading me as I pray with Luke 6:39-42.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 14: Lord, on this Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, help me to come to a greater awareness of your infinite love for me and for your people as I pray with John 3:13-17.______________________________________________________________________________

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The Return of the Prodigal Son, Pompeo Batoni 1773

September 15-21, 2019: “While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20)

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is one of the most beloved and well known of Jesus’ parables. It gives us a powerful image of the Father’s unconditional love. Since all of us suffer the effects of original sin we can often identify with one or more of the characters in the parable.

How great and merciful is our God! He is the Father who is longing for us to return to him. He seeks us even when we are long way off and the moment we turn back to him he runs to us, embraces us and kisses us. He tells us, “Everything I have is yours.” (Luke 15:31) He orders his servants: “Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.” (vs. 22) – all signs that we belong to him.

We must remember that though we are marked by original sin, at baptism and confirmation we are given the Holy Spirit and his seal! The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: Christ himself declared that he was marked with his Father's seal. Christians are also marked with a seal: "It is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has commissioned us; he has put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." This seal of the Holy Spirit marks our total belonging to Christ, our enrollment in his service forever... (1296). Let’s ask God to soften our hearts that our souls might receive the impression of the seal of his Holy Spirit.

 September 15: Lord, reveal your unconditional love for me as I pray with Luke 15:11-32.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 16: Lord, help me to have the faith of the centurion who said “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof” as I pray with Luke 7:1-10.

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September 17: Lord, even though you are a forgiving Father, you desire us to live with integrity. Purify my heart as I pray with Psalm 101:1-8.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 18: Lord, help me to see the many ways you have blessed our Archdiocese and pray with gratitude Psalm 111:1-6.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 19: Lord, help me to learn to love you extravagantly, as the repentant woman who bathed your feet with her tears as I pray with Luke 7:36-50.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 20: Lord, on this memorial for the Korean martyrs, increase my resolve to follow you as I pray with Luke 8:1-3.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 21: Lord, as we celebrate the feast of St. Matthew and pray with Matthew 9:9-13, help us as an Archdiocese answer your call to follow you. ______________________________________________________________________________

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Christ in Gethsemane, Heinrich Hoffmann 1890

September 22-28, 2019: “This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as ransom for all.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

The parable of the prodigal son gives us a beautiful image of God’s mercy. In this Sunday’s readings we hear about God’s desire for us to live virtuous lives. This is a logical next step because God doesn’t want to simply forgive us; he wants to transform us! As we see above in St. Paul’s letter to Timothy: “This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” Let’s pray this week that God will help us discern how he wants to transform us personally and as an Archdiocese.

"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Philippians 4:8)

A virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but also to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions.

The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God. (CCC 1803)

 September 22: Lord, show me how you’re calling me to be a faithful steward in all things, great and small, as I pray with Luke 16:10-13.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 23: Lord, on this memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), show me how to be a light in the world today as I pray with Luke 8:16-18.

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September 24: Lord, as you allowed the Israelites to rebuild the temple, show us how you want to restore the Archdiocese as we pray with Ezra 6:7-8.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 25: Lord, Ezra is a great example of humility! Help us as a local Church to repent of our sins and praise you for your faithfulness to us as we pray with Ezra 9:5-9.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 26: Lord, show me how you delight in me and in our Archdiocese as I pray with Psalm 149.______________________________________________________________________________

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September27: Lord, help me, like St. Peter, to come to know that you are “The Christ of God,” as I pray with Luke 9:18-22.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 28: Lord, guard our local Church “as a shepherd guards his flock,” as I pray with Jeremiah 31:10-13.______________________________________________________________________________

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Prayer Intention for October 2019:

Lord, during this month devoted to the Holy Rosary, we thank you for the gift of our Blessed Mother. May she intercede for us and help us to experience healing.

“That the Archdiocesan Synod process, through the intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary, will bring healing and hope, and promote unity throughout our Archdiocese, we pray to the Lord.”

The Annunciation, Fra Filippo Lippi, between 1445 and 1450

Lazarus and the Rich Man, Jacopo Bassano, 1550

September 29 – October 5, 2019: “But you, man of God, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called…” (1 Timothy 6:11-12)

In this Sunday’s Gospel we hear the story of the rich man and Lazarus and we are reminded of the importance of caring for our neighbor. Poor Lazarus died and “was carried away by the angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment…” How aware am I of the needs of my neighbor? Our society celebrates power and success, but Jesus seeks those who are humble and pure of heart.

We have a great example and advocate for us in The Blessed Mother. In Our Lady’s “Magnificat” we see how to be both humble and magnanimous (having greatness of soul). Let’s ask her to help us become people who can truly say:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.  The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” (Luke 1:46-55) September 29: Lord, help me to see how you may be calling me as an individual and all of us as an Archdiocese to care for the poor as I pray with Luke 16:19-31.______________________________________________________________________________

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September 30: Lord, our Blessed Mother shows us the beauty of being humble. Help me to grow in humility as I pray with Luke 9:46-48.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 1: Lord, as we pray with Zechariah 8:20-23, may we become people whom others see and say, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." St. Thérèse of Lisieux, patroness of missionaries, pray for us!______________________________________________________________________________

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October 2: Lord, on this Memorial of the Guardian Angels, I ask that all the angels and saints join me in prayer for our Archdiocese as I pray with Matthew 18:1-5, 10.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 3: Lord, just as our Blessed Mother said, “Be it done unto me according to your word,” help me to say yes to whatever you ask of me as I pray with Luke 10:1-12.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 4: Lord, on this memorial of St. Francis of Assisi, we remember that God told him, “Francis, go and rebuild my church which, as you see, is falling down.” Help us to see how you wish to build up our Archdiocese as we pray with Psalm 79. ______________________________________________________________________________

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October 5: Lord, help me to be like a child and receive all that you wish to reveal to me as I pray with Luke 10:17-24.______________________________________________________________________________

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Etching by Jan Luyken illustrating the parable of the mustard seed, from the Bowyer Bible, 1791-1795.

October 6-12, 2019: “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’  The Lord replied, ‘If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.’” (Luke 17:5&6)

This Sunday’s Mass readings reiterate a number of times that God is God and that we are his people. We are called to worship him, listen to him and serve him. “Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.” (Psalm 95:6-7)

We also recognize the power of faith. We serve and follow a great and mighty God, but also a God who chooses to do mighty works through weak, small and broken people like us. Saint Paul gives us excellent advice about how to do this in his second letter to Timothy: I remind you, to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.  So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. Take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. (vs. 6-8,13-14)

Are we willing to step out in faith “the size of a mustard seed” and see what God will do?

October 6: Lord, help me to know how you are inviting me to ‘bear my share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God’ as I pray with Luke 17:5-10.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 7: Lord, on this memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, I ask our Blessed Mother to help me to love you ‘with all my heart, being, strength and mind’ as I pray with Luke 10:25-37.

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October 8: Lord, help me to choose ‘the better part’ as I pray with Luke 10:38-42.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 9: Lord, thank you for teaching your disciples how to pray. Continue to teach me to go deeper into conversation with you as I pray with Luke 11:1-4.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 10: Lord, reveal to us the desires you have for our Archdiocese as we pray with Luke 11:9-13.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 11: Lord, help us to see how you have called our Archdiocese to be a community of charity and justice as we pray with Psalm 9.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 12: Lord, you are not only God of charity and justice, but also God of holiness and glory! May I glorify you and give you thanks as I pray with Psalm 97.______________________________________________________________________________

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The Healing of Ten Lepers by James Tissot, 1886-1896

October 13-19, 2019: “…And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan.”(Luke 17:15-16)

The Mass readings this Sunday portray God’s tenderness in healing and his power to save. In the first reading, the prophet Elisha tells Naaman, army commander of the king of Aram, to plunge into the Jordan River seven times. At first Naaman is reticent to follow Elisha’s orders, but finally obeys and “His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean of his leprosy.” He returns immediately to Elisha and says, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant." (2 Kings 5:14-15)

In the gospel passage, a group of ten lepers calls out to Jesus to have pity on them. When they obey his command to go to show themselves to the priests, they too are cured. But only one of them, a Samaritan, returns to thank Jesus.

There are some great lessons for us here. First of all, both Naaman and the grateful leper are not part of the people of Israel, yet they are recipients of God’s healing. Each soul is precious to God and we as members of the Body of Christ are to bring his tenderness and mercy to the world. Secondly, we see the importance of gratitude. How often do I take time to thank God for my many blessings? In the words of Saint Paul, “In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

October 13: Lord, help me to follow the example of the Samaritan leper and express my gratitude as I pray with Luke 17:11-19.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 14: Lord, help me to pray in gratitude for Mary’s “yes” in your plan of salvation as I pray with Psalm 98.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 15: Lord, on this memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, help me to seek to grow in holiness in the interior life as I pray with Luke 11:37-41.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 16: Lord, as we seek to discern your will for our Archdiocese, teach us to judge with wisdom and prudence as we pray with Romans 2:1-11.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 17: Lord, thank you for redeeming us sinners, and for the martyrs like St. Ignatius of Antioch, who gave their lives proclaiming the Kingdom of God. May I follow the boldness of their witness as I pray with Romans 3:21-30. ______________________________________________________________________________

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October 18: Lord, on this Feast of Saint Luke, may we, the people of our Archdiocese, be willing to be sent as laborers for the harvest as we pray with Luke 10:1-9.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 19: Lord, on this Memorial of the North American Martyrs, give me the courage to acknowledge you before others even in dire circumstances as I pray with Luke 12:8-12.

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Victory O Lord! - John Everett Millais, 1871

October 20-26, 2019: “Moses, therefore, said to Joshua, ‘Pick out certain men, and tomorrow go out and engage Amalek in battle. I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.’” (Exodus 17:9)

The readings this week have much to teach us about perseverance! In the Book of Exodus we see Moses and Joshua lead the Israelites in battle. Joshua was down on the field fighting, while Moses was doing some heavy lifting. As long as he kept his arms and the staff of God raised, Israel had the better of the fight. When he grew weary and lowered his arms, they lost ground. Finally, Aaron and Hur helped Moses keep his hands raised, and at sunset, the victory was won.

In the second reading Saint Paul continues with a similar theme. He admonishes Timothy to “be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

And in the Gospel, Jesus tells the disciples a parable “about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.” (Luke 18:1) 

May we as an Archdiocese follow the examples of those who have gone before us and persevere in passing on the gift of our Catholic faith from generation to generation.

October 20: Lord, help us as a local Church to persistently pass on the faith as we pray with 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 21: Lord, increase my desire to be rich in what matters to God rather than seek to amass treasure for myself as I pray with Luke 12:13-21.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 22: Lord, help me surrender to your will as I pray with Psalm 40.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 23: Lord, teach me to turn from sin and follow you as I pray with Romans 6:12-18.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 24: Lord as we root ourselves deeply in prayer, may our Archdiocese be like a tree planted near running water, bearing much fruit. Help us to establish deep roots as we pray with Psalm 1.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 25: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner, as I pray with Romans 7:18-25.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 26: Lord, we are a people who long to see your face. Help our Archdiocese as we seek you in praying with Psalm 24.______________________________________________________________________________

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Prayer Intention for November 2019:

Lord, as we celebrate the lives of all of the saints this month, we ask them to guide us on the path to unity. “That aided by the Communion of Saints—those celebrated by the Church and those known only to God—our Archdiocese through the Synod process will grow in holiness and be inspired to see our lives more clearly as a gift for others, we pray to the Lord.”

The Last Judgment – Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo, 1536-1541

Apse of the Basilica of Saint Clement, Rome.

October 27 – November 2, 2019: “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day and, not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.”(2 Timothy 4:7-8)

We are nearing the end of the liturgical year. In November we remember and pray for the faithfully departed and look with joyful hope to the great feast of Christ the King. It is a great reminder that our goal is heaven!

God put us in the world to know, to love, and to serve him, and so to come to paradise. Beatitude makes us "partakers of the divine nature" and of eternal life.  With beatitude, man enters into the glory of Christ and into the joy of the Trinitarian life. (CCC 1721)

Before we begin the beautiful season of Advent, let us take time this month to reflect. How has God blessed me? How has he been working in my life? Where might he be calling me? How might he be inviting our Archdiocese to move forward in the years ahead?

Wherever he may lead us, let us be firmly focused on our goal – to enter into the glory of Christ and the joy of the Trinitarian life!

October 27: Lord, give me strength to run the race you set before me as I pray with 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 28: Lord, on the Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude, help us as a local Church to be “built  together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” as we pray with Ephesians 2:19-22.

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October 29: Lord, help us recall with deep gratitude the marvels you have done for us as we pray with Psalm 126.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 30: Lord, pour forth your Spirit to aid me in my weakness as I pray with Romans 8:26-30.______________________________________________________________________________

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October 31: Lord, allow me to experience your powerful, steadfast love for me as I pray with Romans 8:31-39.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 1: Lord, on this Solemnity of All Saints, help us as a local church community of believers to follow the example of the heavenly saints and to live the Beatitudes as we pray with Matthew 5:1-12.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 2: Lord, on this Commemoration of All Souls, teach me how to abide with you in love as I pray with Wisdom 3:1-9.______________________________________________________________________________

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Zacchaeus in the Sycamore Awaiting the Passage of Jesus, James Tissot, 1886-1894

November 3-9, 2019: “Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.” (Luke 19:1-10)

When was the last time you climbed a tree? Take a few moments to picture yourself as Zacchaeus. You’re wealthy and well known but probably not well liked, because a chief tax collector often was viewed as a swindler of the Jews and a minion of brutal Rome occupiers. You’re also short in stature and easily lost in a crowd…but not today. What would it take to get you to run ahead and climb a tree? Would you be willing to do that to catch a glimpse of Jesus?

“The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for:

The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God. This invitation to converse with God is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists it is because God has created him through love, and through love continues to hold him in existence. He cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely acknowledges that love and also then entrusts himself to his creator.” (CCC 27)

Zacchaeus recognized this calling within him and was willing to risk looking ridiculous in order to see the Lord. Jesus is calling to us too. How will we respond?

November 3: Lord, help me to follow the example of Zacchaeus as I pray with Luke 19:1-10.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 4: Lord, on this Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, show us how you want to build up our Archdiocese as we pray with Psalm 69:30-36.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 5: Lord, we are the body of Christ. Help us to see the unique gifts you have given us for the good of our local Church as we pray with Romans 12:5-16.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 6: Lord, you ask us to help those in need. Help us to see how we can serve others as we pray with Psalm 112.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 7: Lord, you desire that none should be lost. Help me to see how I can help bring those who have strayed back to you, the Good Shepherd, as I pray with Luke 15:1-7.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 8: Lord, I offer to you praise and thanksgiving and ponder the wondrous deeds you have done as I pray with Psalm 98.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 9: Lord, we thank you for our One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church as we pray with John 2:12-22 on this Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.______________________________________________________________________________

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The Christian Martyrs Last Prayer, Jean-Leon Gerome, 1863-1883

November 10-16, 2019: “At the point of death he said: ‘You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the World will raise us up to live again forever. It is for his laws that we are dying.’” (2 Maccabees 7:9)

In the year 197 AD, a man by the name of Tertullian wrote a defense for his newfound Catholic faith called Apologeticus. In this work we find the well-known phrase “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” He lived in a time when dying for one’s faith in Christ was a strong possibility.

Martyrdom is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith: It means bearing witness even unto death. The martyr bears witness to Christ who died and rose, to whom he is united by charity. He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine. He endures death through an act of fortitude. "Let me become the food of the beasts, through whom it will be given me to reach God.” (CCC 2473)

The origin of the word martyr means witness. How am I a witness for Christ? I may not be asked to die for what I believe, but I am asked to surrender my life to him.

November 10: Lord, give me the courage to be a witness so that “the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified,” as I pray with 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5.

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November 11: Lord, help me to seek you in integrity of heart as I pray with Wisdom 1:1-7.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 12: Lord, grant me a deeper awareness and experience of your love for me as I pray with Psalm 34.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 13: Lord, help us follow the example of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini and seek ways to serve the poor as we pray with Psalm 82:1-4.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 14: Lord, we seek wisdom in discerning your will for our Archdiocese as we pray with Wisdom 7:22-8:1.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 15: Lord, open our eyes to see you in the good, the true and the beautiful as we pray with Psalm 19:1-7. ______________________________________________________________________________

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November 16: Lord, you delivered Israel out of slavery in Egypt and brought the Israelites to the Promised Land. Show us your desire for our local Church as we pray with Wisdom 19:6-9.______________________________________________________________________________

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Paul on Trial Before Agrippa, Nikolai Bodarevsky, 1875

November 17-23, 2019: “… they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.  It will lead to your giving testimony…” (Luke 21:12-13)

As the close of the liturgical year draws near, the Catholic Church chooses readings that encourage us to persevere and to testify boldly of our faith in Jesus Christ. At first, this can seem rather daunting. But we can take courage in recognizing that God will not ask us to do something that he will not also equip us to do. In fact, right after Jesus tells his disciples that they will be giving testimony before kings and governors he says, “Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.”

The saints give us wonderful examples of how to surrender to God and trust him to do his mighty work in us. In the words of St. Thérèse of Lisieux:

“God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized; so in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.”

November 17: Lord, give me the courage to follow you as I pray with Luke 21:5-19.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 18: Lord, help me to discern how I would answer the question, “What do you want me to do for you?” as I pray with Luke 18:35-43.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 19: Lord, as I pray again with Luke 19:1-10, help me to see that just as you were seeking Zacchaeus, so also you are seeking me.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 20: Lord, help our Archdiocese discern how you want us to “invest our ten gold coins” as we pray with Luke 19:11-28.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 21: Lord, on the memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may I follow her example and offer you a sacrifice of praise as I pray with Psalm 50:1-15.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 22: Lord, today as I pray with 1 Chronicles 29:10-13, let me praise your grandeur and power.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 23: Lord, help us to see as a local Church how you are calling us to remember the needy and tend to the afflicted as we pray with Psalm 9.______________________________________________________________________________

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Christ and the Good Thief, Titian, 1566

November 24-30, 2019:“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied to him, ‘Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’” (Luke 23:42-43)

Isn’t it amazing that the Gospel reading for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe is the account of his crucifixion? Why would any king, let alone the King of the Universe, choose an instrument of torture and death for a throne?

And yet this is what our Savior did. Not only did he suffer excruciating physical pain, but he also had to listen to the rebukes of his people: The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, "He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”… "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself." (vs. 35, 37)

And so we return to the question, why? Why would the King of the Universe do such a thing? Because of his infinite love for you and me. He would rather suffer humiliation and die an agonizing death than live without us. And just as Moses lifted up  the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.  (John 3:14-17)

November 24: Lord, give me an even greater awareness of my infinite worth to you as I pray with Colossians 1:12-20.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 25: Lord, show me how you desire me to give sacrificially as I pray with Luke 21:1-4.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 26: Lord, may we reflect on the ways you’ve blessed our Archdiocese and offer you a hymn of praise as we pray with Daniel 3:57-61.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 27: Lord, keep me from offending you and lead me to repent of my sins as I pray with Daniel 5:1-6, 25-30.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 28: Lord, on this day of Thanksgiving we give you thanks and praise for our many blessings while we wait in joyful hope for our redemption as we pray with Luke 21:25-28.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 29: Lord, you are our great and mighty King! We give you glory and praise as we pray with Daniel 7:9-14.______________________________________________________________________________

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November 30: Lord, on this Feast of Saint Andrew, help us to follow his example and allow you to make us “fishers of men” as we pray with Matthew 4:18-22.______________________________________________________________________________

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Prayer Intention for December 2019:

Lord, as we enter into this season of Advent, we wait with deep longing and joyful hope for the coming of Christ. “That the coming of the Messiah will enlighten the Archdiocesan Synod to recognize His Spirit at work in, and bring hope to, those the world often overlooks: the elderly, single people, immigrants, the homeless, and the unborn, we pray to the Lord.”

Mary and Joseph on the way to Bethlehem, detail of Portinari Altarpiece, Hugo Van der Goes, 1475

Portinari Altarpiece, Hugo Van der Goes, 1475

December 1-7, 2019: “…So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake!” (Matthew 24:39-42)

With the Solemnity of Christ the King we bring the liturgical year to a close. But the new year does not begin with the birth of our Lord. We actually begin by waiting. Why?

When the Church celebrates  the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. By celebrating the precursor's birth and martyrdom, the Church unites herself to his desire: "He must increase, but I must decrease." (CCC 524)

We experience a similar phenomenon in prayer. In St. Augustine’s letter to Proba he says,

Why he should ask us to pray, when he knows what we need before we ask him, may perplex us if we do not realize that our Lord and God does not want to know what we want (for he cannot fail to know it) but wants us rather to exercise our desire through our prayers, so that we may be able to receive what he is preparing to give us. His gift is very great indeed, but our capacity is too small and limited to receive it…. The deeper our faith, the stronger our hope, the greater our desire, the larger will be our capacity to receive that gift, which is very great indeed.

This Advent let’s resolve to “stay awake” and pray as we await with joyful hope all that God desires for us!

December 1: Lord, as I pray with Romans 13:11-14, increase my resolve to pray daily.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 2: Lord, increase my faith and humility as I pray with Matthew 8:5-11.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 3: Lord, on this Memorial of St. Francis Xavier, increase our zeal to share the blessings of our Catholic faith with others as we pray with Luke 10:21-24.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 4: Lord, as I pray with Psalm 23, let me rest in your arms, for you are my Good Shepherd.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 5: Lord, reveal to us how we are to build our Archdiocese on solid rock as we pray with Matthew 7:24-27.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 6: Lord, teach me how to wait for you in joyful hope as I pray with Psalm 27.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 7: Lord, on this Memorial of St. Ambrose, we recall that he was instrumental in helping St. Augustine come to you. Help me to recognize people you may want me to help as I pray with Matthew 9:35-10:1.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 8-14, 2019: “Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.’” (Luke 1:38)

During the season of Advent we celebrate the beautiful solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. This is the day when we celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary being conceived free from the stain of original sin. The Catechism explains:

To become the mother of the Savior, Mary “was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role.” The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as “full of grace.” In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace… The “splendor of an entirely unique holiness” by which Mary is “enriched from the first instant of her conception” comes wholly from Christ: she is “redeemed, in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son.” The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person “in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” and chose her “in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love.” (CCC 490, 492)

How blessed we are as a Church to have such a Mother! Let us ask her to be our guide as we seek to grow in purity and holiness.

December 8: Lord, show me how to live a life of justice and peace as I pray with Psalm 72.

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December 9: Lord, help me to emulate Our Blessed Mother as I pray with Luke 1:26-38.______________________________________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________________________________The Immaculate Conception by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1767-1769

December 10: Lord, I come to you for comfort as I pray with Isaiah 40:1-11.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 11: Lord, renew and strengthen our Archdiocese as we pray with Isaiah 40:25-31.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 12: Lord, on this Feast of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, we lift up to you in a special way our Latino brothers and sisters as we pray with Revelation 12:1-6. ______________________________________________________________________________

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December 13: Lord, on this Memorial of St. Lucy, may I shine your light to the world as I pray with Psalm 1.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 14: Lord, show us how you desire to restore our Archdiocese as we pray with Psalm 80.

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The Preaching of John the Baptist in the Desert, Massimo Stanzione, 1634

December 15-21, 2019: “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.” (Matthew 11:10)

Advent is not only a time of waiting; it also gives us a great opportunity to look at where we need to ask for forgiveness. St. John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for Jesus, to “make straight his paths.” He did that by crying out to people to repent.

The human heart is heavy and hardened. God must give man a new heart. Conversion is first of all a work of the grace of God who makes our hearts return to him: "Restore us to thyself, O LORD, that we may be restored!" God gives us the strength to begin anew. It is in discovering the greatness of God's love that our heart is shaken by the horror and weight of sin and begins to fear offending God by sin and being separated from him. The human heart is converted by looking upon him whom our sins have pierced:

Let us fix our eyes on Christ's blood and understand how precious it is to his Father, for, poured out for our salvation it has brought to the whole world the grace of repentance. (CCC 1432)

December 15: Lord, “ransom us that we may return singing” as we pray with Isaiah 35:1-6, 10.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 16: Lord, we are seeking your guidance for our Archdiocese. Make known your paths for us as we pray with Psalm 25:4-9.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 17: Lord, as we pray with Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1:1-17, help us to celebrate the gift of family.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 18: Lord, we thank you for the gift of fathers, and in a special way for St. Joseph as we pray with Matthew 1:18-25.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 19: Lord, help me to learn to trust in you even when circumstances seem impossible as I pray with Luke 1:5-25.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 20: Lord, as I pray with Psalm 24, cleanse my heart that I may stand in your holy place for I long to see your face.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 21: Lord, you are the Lover of my soul. Let me hear you bid me to come to you as I pray with Song of Songs 2:8-14.______________________________________________________________________________

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Adoration of the Shepherds, Rembrandt, 1646

December 22-28, 2019: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel which means ‘God is with us.’” (Matthew 1:23)

The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for… (CCC 27a)

The beloved hymn O Holy Night begins: “O holy night! The stars are brightly shining; it is the night of our dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining; ’til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.”

Have we ever taken time to ponder what life was like when the world lay in sin and error pining? Consider a world in which there is no forgiveness of sin, no promise of heaven. Have we taken the time to ponder what our souls are worth? Consider what God was willing to do to restore our relationship with him. “But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature;” “For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.” “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.” (CCC 460a)

O Come, O Come Emmanuel!

December 22: Lord, help me to ponder my worth, considering what it cost you to come and dwell with us as I pray with Isaiah 7:10-14. ______________________________________________________________________________

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December 23: Lord, show this local Church your path for us as we pray with Psalm 25.

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December 24: Lord, may we as an Archdiocese join together in singing the song of Zechariah (Luke 1:67-79) and praise you for coming to us and setting us free.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 25: Lord, as we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord, we ‘sing to you a new song’ as we pray with Psalm 98.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 26: Lord, as we celebrate the Feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr, increase our courage to boldly proclaim the mighty deeds you have done for us as we pray with Acts 7:54-59.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 27: Lord, show us how you desire to ‘complete the joy’ of our Archdiocese as we pray with 1 John 1:1-4.______________________________________________________________________________

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December 28: Lord, as we remember the martyrdom of the Holy Innocents, help us to always remember that “our hope is in the name of the Lord,” as we pray with Psalm 124.______________________________________________________________________________

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