O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the
glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my
every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to Its infinite merits; and I wish
to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of Its Merciful
Love.

O my God! I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to
fulfill perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee the joys and sorrows of
this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in heaven for all
Eternity. Amen.

Catholic Prayers

In loving memory of my wife, my sister, my mother, and my grandmother. The vase was made by my mom. The wishing well belonged to my granny. The coffee cup features a photo of me with my sister and brother. The urn contains my wife's ashes. The bamboo plant is an offering from my grandson to his lola. The ceramic cross was a gift from my grandson to his grandma. The framed photo is the first picture of me and my wife together in the Philippines. The big flower arrangement was left anonymously in our Garden the day after my wife died. The smaller flowers were an offering from me for memorial day. There is also a sacred heart candle, a sacred heart tea light holder, a lady of guadalupe plaque, a gold cross my wife gave me, our wedding rings, a bottle of holy water from our church, a binder of prayer cards, some prayer books, and a rosary. And finally, a little plaque engraved with the words, "My Wife, My Love, My Best Friend."

My soul doth magnify the Lord:
 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour
 Because He hath regarded the lowliness of His handmaid: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
 For He that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is His Name.
 And His mercy is from generation until generations, to them that fear Him.
 He hath showed might with 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 lowly.
 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 for ever.

The Magnificat is a canticle—a hymn taken from the Bible. When the angel Gabriel visited the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation, he told her that cousin Elizabeth was also with child. Mary went to see her cousin (the Visitation), and the baby in Elizabeth's womb—John the Baptist—leapt with joy when Elizabeth heard Mary's voice.

The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) is the Virgin Mary's response to Elizabeth's greeting, glorifying God and thanking Him for choosing her to bear His Son. It is used in the Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, the daily prayers of the Catholic Church. We can incorporate it into our evening prayer, too.

The Annunciation and the Visitation gave us another famous Marian prayer, the Hail Mary.

The Magnificat
The Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary
By Scott P. Richert, About.com Guide

Father God, you are the Maker of heaven and earth, and You know every situation that comes our way. Even though it seems that life is unfair at times, we know our Redeemer lives, and if we continue to abide in the presence of the Holy Spirit we will learn to be content. Help us to allow Your grace to be sufficient at all times and in all situations. We ask this of you, Father, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus. Amen. 


FoodForThePoor.org

Lord God, I pray that you will fill my heart with the blessing of your Holy Spirit. Grant me this day the strength to be temperate in all things, diligent in my duties, and patient under my afflictions. Direct me in all my ways. Give me grace to be just and upright in all my dealings; quiet and peaceable; full of compassion; and ready to do good to all people, according to my abilities and opportunities. For the sake of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Daily Devotional

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus    

1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

   3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

   4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

   5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

   9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

   10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

   16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:1-18(New International Version)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

~ 23d Psalm

Most gracious and gentle God, from the womb of your love you gave birth to all creation, and in your Son Jesus Christ you reveal a loving-kindness that longs to gather up your children under the shadow of your wings: Bless, we pray, all mothers, especially those who nurse and care for children. Give them patience and wisdom. Sustain them in gentleness and grace. Deepen the tenderness of their affections. Affirm them in the nobility of their calling. May our children always find in the embrace of mothers an outward and visible sign of your never-failing love and care. And through the love of our mothers, may we all feel the warmth of your tender mercies and know the constancy of your unconditional love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Creedal Christian

Father God, thank You for Your faithfulness in our lives. Today, we choose to trust You with our past, present, and future. Give us wisdom to discern the seasons of our lives, and teach us to embrace the new things You have in store for us. Our faith is renewed in You and Your word. We pray all this in Jesus’ holy and righteous name.

Amen.

Food for the Poor Weekly Prayer Email

Jesus Has Risen

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.

He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

“What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled togetherand saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Luke 24:1-35 (New International Version)