"Go to St. Joseph, the young, strong, silent man. His silence, once entered into, heals all it touches. St. Joseph, mender of broken toys, furniture, houses, as well as broken hearts, souls, bodies, minds and families."
--Servant of God, Catherine Doherty, Lubov
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You can read here about how special St. Joseph is to our family. God bless you on this most holy and special feast day and May St. Joseph send you abundant blessings for the rest of this Lenten season.
On this day 15 years ago, our first-born son, Will, entered into Eternal Life. He was 20 hours and 12 minutes old. A dear friend always sends us flowers on Will's special day. I took a picture of them next to a photo that Bill has had in his office for 15 years. He brought it home a few days ago.
Today is the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
From Byzantine Daily Worship:
When Mary was three years of age, Joachim and Anne took her to the Temple so taht she might be consecrated to the service of the Lord. According to legend, they invited the young girls of the town to walk before her with lighted torches. As soon as they had reached the Temple, Mary, alone and unhesitatingly, went up the steps of the sanctuary where she was to remain, living in the contemplation of God and miraculously fed by the Archangel Gabriel, until the day she was espoused to Joseph, shortly before the Annunciation.
The theme of the feast is that Mary the Immaculate One, the Temple of the living God, is offered to the Almighty in his holy house in Jerusalem. The day witnesses the bond between the Word and the Virgin predestined in eternity: this day is the fountainhead of all her privileges.
O Lady, Bride of God, you entered the temple of God in your infancy to be brought up in the Holy of Holies, for you are holy. There the Archangel Gabriel was sent to serve you and bring you food. All the heavenly Powers were amazed at the sight of the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. Wherefore, O pure Mother of God, all blameless, glorified in heaven and on earth, save our race!
Here is a pictorial peek into our last few days!
Here is Rose as St. Agnes!
A Prayer in Praise of the Saints
Today is the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Indeed, after a summer of sorrow, it is so very comforting to be able to nestle down in Mary's mantle and rest. She always leads me closer to her Son. Tonight, after we pray our family Rosary, we will recite the Stabat Mater. Our Lady of Sorrows, Pray for Us!
The Stabat Mater At the Cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has passed.
O how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother, highly blest,
of the sole-begotten One.
Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep,
whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ's dear Mother to behold?
By the Cross with thee to stay,
there with thee to weep and pray,
is all I ask of thee to give.
For the sins of His own nation,
She saw Jesus wracked with torment,
All with scourges rent:
She beheld her tender Child,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.
Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother's pain untold?
O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord:
Make me feel as thou hast felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ my Lord.
Holy Mother! pierce me through,
in my heart each wound renew
of my Savior crucified:
Let me share with thee His pain,
who for all my sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee,
mourning Him who mourned for me,
all the days that I may live:
Let me, to my latest breath,
in my body bear the death
of that dying Son of thine.
Virgin of all virgins blest!,
Listen to my fond request:
let me share thy grief divine;
Wounded with His every wound,
steep my soul till it hath swooned,
in His very Blood away;
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
lest in flames I burn and die,
in His awful Judgment Day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
by Thy Mother my defense,
by Thy Cross my victory;
When my body dies,
let my soul be granted
the glory of Paradise. Amen.
When I awoke this morning on this beautiful feast, the following quote spoke to me: "The price of souls is high--high as a cross on which we must hang."
Today is Mother Teresa's Feast Day. We will read Demi's book on Mother Teresa and Bill has promised to take us to a local Indian restaurant to celebrate the life of this wonderful saint and missionary to the world's poorest of the poor.
Rose as her patron saint on the Feast of All Hallows' Eve, 2007
Today is the Feast of St. Anne and St. Joachim and is a special day in our home, as Rose has St. Anne as her primary patron! :)
On St. Anne's feast the family prays:
Father: We all rejoice in the Lord, As we keep holiday in honor of blessed Anne, Of her whose feast fills angels with joy, And sets them praising the Son of God.
All: Amen.
Father: Spotless Anna, Juda's glory, Through the Church from East to West Every tongue proclaims thy praises, Holy Mary's mother blessed.
All: From thy stem in beauty budded Ancient Jesse's mystic rod; Birth from thee received the Mother Of the almighty Son of God
Father: Let us pray. O God, You were pleased to bestow Your grace upon Anne so that she might fitly become the mother of her who was to bear Your only-begotten Son; grant that we who keep her feast will be helped by her protection. Through Christ, our Lord. All: Amen. Christ conquers, Christ reigns!
From My Nameday, Come for Dessert
Blessed Feast to my little blondie! We love you and may St. Anne help you to grow closer to her grandson each and every day.
Catholic wife and mother to six on earth and seven in heaven
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