OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

It is a devotion which was prayed on a weekly basis in my parish church of Saint Matthews from the day it was first built. My dad, (whose birthday it would have been today) had great love for this devotion and in his ministry as deacon upheld the tradition of Wednesday evening recitation of the novena with a group of parishoners. Sadly, in more recent times, the parish priest decided that this time which had always been proritised for devotion to Our Mother, would be better alloted to choir practice.
As a thankyou to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, for all the favours I have received (and a final tribute to my dad,) here are the beautiful and efficacious prayers of the Redemptorist's novena; whose depth I continue to wonder as I pray them with my own family.
(A history of the image is in my October postings dated Wednesday 10th.)

OPENING PRAYER

Leader: sisters and brothers we have come before the picture of our Mother of Perpetual Help, that she will pray with us to God, in praise, in petition and in thanksgiving.
All: Dear Mother of Perpetual Help, throughout your life you were open to God’s Holy Spirit: faithful in prayer, willing in obedience and generous in love.
Pray for us that we may be open to God’s word and filled with the Holy Spirit. You were faithful in prayer: pray that we too may follow Christ your Son with the same spirit of prayer, with a willing heart, and in love for him, who first loved us.


PSALMS

(PSALM 115) God has done so much for us, what can we do in return?

All: I trusted even, when I said:
“ I am sorely afflicted”,
And when I said in my alarm
“ There is no one I can trust”.

How can I repay the Lord
For His Goodness to me?
The cup of salvation I will raise;
I will call on the Lord’s name.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfil
Before all his people.
O precious in the eyes of the Lord
Is the death of His faithful.
Your servant Lord, your servant am I;
You have loosened my bonds.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;
I will call on the Lord’s name.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfil
Before all his people,
In the courts of the house of the Lord,
In your midst, O Jerusalem.

Alternative psalms -24, 42(1) and 42(2)
46,113


SCRIPTURE READING –

FOLLOWED BY SHORT SERMON,
OR
SILENCE TO REFLECT ON THE WORD OF GOD.


THANKSGIVING
Leader: Let us pause for a moment and call to mind what God has done for us.
(pause) And now let us give thanks for the goodness of creation, and for all the graces we have received.

For the beauty of all that you have made ~
R; Lord we thank you
For your loving mercy R:
For our salvation R:
For the consolation of the Holy Spirit R:
For the promise of your glory R:
For our family and friends R:
For faith R:
For Mary, our Mother of Perepetual Help.R:

NOVENA PRAYER
Leader: Dear Mother,
The Lord looked on you in your humility, and chose you to be the Mother of His son; and now all ages call you blessed. God has worked marvels for you. You witnessed the death of your son on the cross, and your continuing faith brought you to witness his victory over death, filling your heart with joy and praise.
By the example of your life, you showed that God’s mercy is on those who fear him. You sang of the justice of the one who casts the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly; you told of the promise made to Abraham, Sarah, and all their descendants for ever. You are now with the saints, singing the praises of God, and praying for us, who need your prayers. Pray with us to the Lord, and as our prayers arise before him like incense, he will hear us and answer us according to his promise.


PETITIONS AND GENERAL INTENTIONS
(Or a litany may be said.)

When we feel burdened by sickness or old age (R)

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

That we may forgive those who hurt us (R)
That we may have peace of mind (R)
That families may increase in love and respect for each other
and for God (R)
That Single people may be blessed by God (R)
That Those preparing for marriage may always grow in love (R)
That the hurt caused by broken relationships may be healed (R)
That Those who mourn be comforted (R)
That those Who seek work will find it (R)
That The homeless will find shelter (R)
That the Hungry will be fed (R)
That Unjust discrimination will cease (R)
Those called to priesthood and religious life may be faithful
to their call (R)
That All who have lost their faith will find it again (R)
That All Christians may be united in faith and love (R)

Leader: Let us pray
All: O Almighty God our creator, see us your children gathered in prayer, with Mary the mother of your Son. As we ask let us receive, as we search may we find: and as we knock , may the door be opened. And may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.


During the Magnificat, the Blessed Sacrament may be exposed, and a time of silent prayer. When the Novena is prayed at home, a few moments of silent prayer in praise of God may follow.

MAGNIFICAT
My soul glorifies the Lord My spirit rejoices in God my saviour.
He looks on His servant in her lowliness; Henceforward all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me, Holy His name!
His mercy is from age to age on those who fear Him.
He puts forth His arm in strength and scatters the proud hearted.
He casts the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things, sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel his servant, remembering his mercy
The mercy promised to our forefathers, to Abraham and his sons forever.


THE DIVINE PRAISES
All: Blessed be God
Blessed be His Holy name
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God, true man.
Blessed be the name of Jesus,
Blessed be his most Sacred Heart
Blessed be His most Precious Blood
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar
Blessed be The Holy Spirit the Paraclete
Blessed be The great Mother of God, Mary most holy
Blessed be Her holy and Immaculate Conception
Blessed be Her glorious Assumption
Blessed be The name of Mary Virgin and Mother
Blessed be Saint Joseph, her spouse most chaste
Blessed be God in His angels and His saints.

Concluding prayer and blessing
Leader: God Our Father, help us to be faithful witnesses to your mercy and love. May we bring to others the gifts we receive from you. Give us grateful hearts that we may thank you , stronger faith that we may trust you, and a vision of your glory that we may praise you.
(Priest or deacon) And may Almighty God bless you, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(If said At home) May the Lord bless us and keep us, and bring us to everlasting life, Amen.

THE DYING PHASE

I was tempted to give this post the title " Our father - who art in heaven" because this is a photo of my dad at his ordination, and he died earlier this week. I think he would have seen the joke and smiled about it.
He suffered for 15 years with various infirmities, but throughout he was always faithful to helping others who needed succour.
Even in recovery after his heart attacks he thought of others before himself. He gave comfort to those in his ward who were in distress or who asked for his help in their dying phase.
He visited the homes of those who were bereaved and prayed with their families, and ministered at their funerals. He ministered to those receiving the sacrament of marriage, and baptism, because he cared for the welfare of souls.
He was allowed a meagre stipend for his dedication to God and his neighbour, it was not even enough to cover the cost of training him for his Deaconate. Any donations for conducting services were taken by the Church he loved.
And for his generosity of spirit, I think God consoled him in death. His " dying phase" lasted but three days, his eight children and his wife at his bedside, praying and comforting him in his last agonies. It was not easy to wait and watch as dad's condition deteriorated.
But he who had loved the Sacraments, and encouraged others to receive them, by God's grace received those of the Sacrament of the sick, and extreme unction just a day before he was due to meet God.
Suffering of any kind can be difficult to reconcile with the notion of a God who is love; but as my dad decreased, I saw in him the image of the suffering Christ increase.
I say increase, because with eight children and a wife to care for, no one could dispute in his faithfulness as a parent; he daily fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and so on.
He taught us our faith, and most importantly that without the death of Jesus, we would not have had the revelation of Resurrection.
It is a comfort then, that if through his sufferings God desired to conform my dad to the likeness of Christ, then those sufferings promise that alike unto Jesus, he will also share in His resurrection.
(Mark 8: 31-32,34-35"Then he began to teach them that the Son of man was destined to suffer grievously....and be put to death, and after three days rise again;..."If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me...")

LOVING US STILL...
My kids of course have been asking questions; I explained that a Jospice was a place where sick people were waiting to go up to heaven - and when their hearts stop, only Jesus can fix them.
Matthew then wanted to go stay at the Jospice too; so he could get to heaven. He wondered why grandad had not taken grandma with him, and "held her hand."
John wanted to know if grandad had left a hole in the ceiling when the angel took him up to Jesus.
I then told them that even though Grandad's had gone to live with Jesus, he still loved us all, and later we would be able to join him. This seemed to help satisfy them a little - and they began to accept that he wasn't coming back, but they knew they were still loved.

My ten year old cried, but pulling herself together said; "I know he suffered mum, but I know he would have given that to Jesus, to help people get to heaven."
"In death, as in life." I thought, and I began to realise just what a blessing he had been to me, and how unfathomable and faithful is the Mercy of God.

" Eternal rest grant unto your servant O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him,
may he rest in peace. Amen."

(for hospice information on what to expect in the stages of dying)click here
About St Joseph's hospice (Jospice)click here

POST SCRIPT:
It was a comfort to see Terry the Deacon of my neighbouring parish at dad's funeral. He had studied as a deacon at the same priest's training college of Upholland Lancashire with my dad.
They had both had heart operations at the same time.
On occasion he would ask me "How is it your dad's so ill, when I am fine and we both had our ops at the same time?"
I would just smile and shrug my shoulders and ask him to pray for dad.
The "reason" became clearer as the priest narrated dad's eulogy from the lectern.
When dad had become too ill to carry out his ministry in an active sense, he had asked the priest how he might still serve God for the good of the parish.
It was suggested that dad offer all his sufferings for all of the fallen away Catholics of his parish. The priest related how dad had accepted this calling without hesitation, and a complete willingness to do God's will.
On hearing this, I realised my young daughter's thoughts about her grandad's spiritual generosity were confirmed;
I think Terry and I would understand now, that God has chosen each one of us for different work, and in his latter years, part of dad's vocation as deacon was to help those fallen away souls return to God.
I never thought when first dedicating this blog to the Virgin Mary and souls who have loved her, that my own Father would appear here as one of the flowers in the bower; But as Saint Jose - Maria Escriva reminded us; whatever our walk in life, mums, dads, firefighters, lawyers, religious ...we are all called to love, and to be saints, (even if only saints with that small "s".)

BODY CONSCIOUS

Driving past a billboard with my trusty toddlers in the back, one called out to me that he had seen a "rudy - man..." (Rude man.)
I had been too busy watching the traffic lights change to notice the provocative underwear advert. Glancing in the direction of his outcry, I saw the offending image, the type of image which used to be confined to under the counter magazines (for those who sought such things,) and is now increasingly forced upon our senses though without our seeking it, or wanting it.
We have been deceived into forgetting the human dignity of our bodies by the insidious "slow drip - feed" which glorifies sensuality as something to aspire to.
This all acts upon our subconscious to undermine the true nature intended for our bodies, that is; to be sanctuaries of the living God.
My fashion police kids, also remarked in a loud voice at toddler club " Mum, Elizabeth mum is only wearing her vest!"
Elizabeth's mum, protested in a good -natured way. She is a kind person - but she too had fallen foul of that trend for underwear upstaging outer wear. (I could say Madonna helped that fashion to flourish, but I wouldn't single her out -the devil being what he is, would have used some other means, to fool women (and men) into the role of provocateur. Other culprits include Bratz dolls and some action figures.
Satan is the deceiver, the one who clouds judgement and provokes us to sin. He will soften sharp edges to appeal to our sense of comfort and one - up - manship. Suitably seduced we take the bait.
After all, he lost the throne reserved for him in heaven, now he does all he can to prevent us reaching the same heights.
Sexuality is a strong drive, created for good so that the human race may continue and many souls be created for eternal bliss.
However, Satan, knowing that sexuality is more powerful than our other senses, uses it in particular to corrupt and destroy innocence.
Antonio Gallonio the disciple of Saint Philip Neri recounts in his testimony of the saint's life, that Purity was one of Philip's great virtues. He states that "None of his contemporaries could recall him dressed in a way that revealed any of his "flesh."
Philip was known for his dedication to the sacrament of Reconcilliation.
He was able by God's aid to detect virginity in penitents by its scent. Likewise he was able to detect impurity and other sins by their "stench".
Several of those who went to confession to him swore to this after his death.
If they had not confessed the sin, he would " explain first the nature of their problem, and its causes and then apply the appropriate remedy. " My children, " he would say gently, "you smell bad to me, you have fallen into some sort of impurity. Clear your conscience, eject the poison and confess."
In his account, the disciple Antonio, records the names of all the eminent doctors who were present at Philip's autopsy. This was important as they were all witness to a " remarkable happening" which they testified to.

"Although the saint's body was devoid of life, "his hands moved supernaturally to cover those parts of the body which in life would have been unseemly to expose. This happenned more than once. One of the doctors (Angelo Vittorio) called aloud so everyone might hear" What wonderful purity this man posessed!" when he was witness this supernatural action."

The same thing was observed by the Fathers who were present when the body was washed in preparation for burial. (These instances bring to mind the position of the hands evident on the Turin shroud.)

Today's Gospel reading happens to be Matthew Mt 5:27-32, where Jesus says to his disciples:

“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart..."

In 2 Samuel 11:1: we have the story of David and Bathsheba. A classic story of sin and restoration to grace: David, hanging around the palace when he should maybe have been at war with his army, stumbles upon Bathsheba bathing.
He can't get her out of his head, and eventually plots her husbands murder so that he might woo her and have her for himself. Bathsheba is innocent in the affair. If one is summoned by the king, one goes!
The story ends with David recognising his sin, repenting and restoring his relationship with God.
I am sure many people who dress provocatively, especially youths, are "innocent" of their nakedness to some extent, unaware of the effect they may have on causing others to sin.
Taking the examples of King David, Saint Augustine, (and the biblical lady who washed Jesus' feet with her hair) - we have the hope that through the sacrament of confesion and a willingness to amend our lives, we may return by God's grace to a state of purity.
In 1927 the Fatima seer Jacinta Marto said to mother Godhino who was nursing her:

"My dear mother, the sins that bring most souls to Hell are the sins of the flesh. Certain fashions are going to be introduced which will offend Our Lord very much. Those who serve God should not follow these fashions. The church has no fashions,: Our Lord is always the same..."
"My good Mother do not give yourself to immodest clothes. Run away from riches..."
The Mother of God wants a large number of virgin souls to bind themselves to her by the vow of chastity. ( I would enter a convent with great joy, but my joy is greater because I am going to heaven) To be a religious one has to be very pure in soul and body."
" And do you know what it means to be pure?" Mother Godinho asked.
"Yes I do, to be pure in body means to preserve in chastity...
To be pure in soul means to avoid sin, not to look at what would be sinful, not to steal, never to lie and to always to tell the truth even when it is hard."

This quote is taken from Msgr. Cirrincone's book " Saint Jacinta Marto of Fatima."
He continues:

"Knowing these remarks were inspired directly or indirectly by Our Lady herself, and are not just the wise sayings of a precocious child, we who are priviledged to hear them will find it hard to put together an excuse good enough to exempt us from giving them very serious consideration."

PHOTOS: 1. Saints Joachim and Anne - Master of Moulins (1500) 2. "slugs in love" - beano annual 1997 - artist unknown. 3.Hand imprints detail of the Turin Shroud. 4. Detail of Saint Mary Magdalene with her jar of ointment - Andrea Mantegna 1490.

GOD IS LOVE - THE SACRED HEART

Devotion to the Sacred Heart was revealed to us by Jesus in scripture when He told us directly to "Learn from me, that I am meek and humble of Heart."
The Heart Of Jesus is human, and filled with Divine love. In His humanity, the heart of Jesus suffered the pain of rejection and betrayal by His freinds, (Peter and Judas.)and the insults of non -believers.
His Human heart knows what it is to suffer from the resentment of others, and their poor judgements...what it is to be misunderstood and alone.
Similairly, when we suffer in these ways, we are not alone. Jesus is with us in His mercy and compassion.
The infinite Divine love within His human heart transcended every calumny against Him. He pleaded to the Father for His accusers and persecutors: " Father, forgive them, they know not what they do..."
This Divine love did not somehow diminish His suffering, indeed it served to magnify it, because it is more painful to be hurt by one we love, than by one whom we are indifferent to.
The Love of Jesus is not a sentimental, sexual, or romantic love, it is a pure love that is constant and unchanging. It gives so fully of itself that it desires to be consumed by its beloved. Hence the furnace of love which is the Sacred Heart, instituted the Eucharist to this end.
The Divine love contained in the Heart of Jesus is that of surrender and sacrifice; Sacrifice in the sense of a sacred offering, (rather than simply fulfilling an obligation or duty.) and Surrender of will to that of the Father's.
This example reveals to us that by making this surrender of our wills, we imitate Christ, and co-operate with Him in our salvation.
The voice of Christ related by Thomas a Kempis says this;
"(Human)Nature is not willing to die, or to be kept down, or to be overcome. Nor will it subdue itself or be made subject.
Grace on the contrary strives for mortification of self. She resists sensuality, seeks to be in subjection longs to be conquered, has no wish to use her own liberty, loves to be held under discipline, and does not desire to rule over anyone, but wishes rather to live, to stand, and to be always under God for whose sake she is willing to bow humbly to every human creature."
It is this freedom of our free will to choose grace or reject it which Margaret Mary Alacoque alludes to, when she asks in one of her letters:"

"What can keep us from loving God and becoming saints, since we have a body that can suffer and a heart that can love?"

Of course that which "Keeps us from loving God and becoming saints..." is our weakness for indulging our affections in the passing things of this world. We would rather offend God than deny ourselves.
The example of the Heart of Jesus shows us that perfect spiritual love overcomes the world, because it is Free from all attachments to things and earthly desires. Because God is love, the example of the Sacred Heart of Jesus invites us to love beyond that of duty, or just loving enough to co-operate with his grace to overcome sin...He invites us to follow Him and share in the cross.
This Divine love enthroned in the human heart of Jesus Christ, is portrayed in the images known and venerated by Catholics as the "Sacred Heart."
Many Christians including those who are Catholic, agree that to call upon the Precious Blood of Jesus is a powerful protection prayer; like wise for Catholics this mysticism of the body of Christ extends to the adoration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus - to which praise and thanks is given for the conquering power of Divine love over sin and death.


These final words are from Saint Alphonsus Liguori, from "The Redeeming Love of Christ":
"God says to each of us: "Give me your heart, that is, your will." We, in turn, cannot offer anything more precious than to say: "Lord, take possession of us; we give our whole will to you; make us understand what it is that you desire of us, and we will perform it."

If we would give full satisfaction to the heart of God, we must bring our own will in everything into conformity with his; and not only into conformity, but into uniformity also, as regards all that God ordains. Conformity signifies the joining of our own will to the will of God; but uniformity signifies, further, our making of the divine and our own will one will only, so that we desire nothing but what God desires, and his will becomes ours. This is the sum and substance of that perfection to which we ought to be ever aspiring; this is what must be the aim of all we do, and of all our desires, meditations and prayers. For this we must invoke the assistance of all our patron saints and our guardian angels, and, above all, of our divine mother Mary, who was the most perfect saint, because she embraced most perfectly the divine will..."

Promises of Our Lord, to souls devoted to His Sacred Heart

1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.

2. I will establish peace in their houses.

3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions.

4. I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all at the hour of death.

5. I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings.

6. Sinners will find in my heart the source and infinite Ocean of Mercy.

7. Tepid souls will grow fervent.

8. Fervent souls will quickly rise to high perfection.

9. I will bless every place where a picture of my Sacred Heart will be exposed (displayed) and honoured.

10. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.

11. Those who promote this devotion will have their names written in my heart, never to be blotted out.

12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of my heart, that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the first Friday of nine consecutive months, the grace of final perseverance, they will not die in disgrace nor without receiving the sacraments. My Divine heart will be their safe refuge in these moments.
(Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque.)

Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI prayer intentions for JUNE 2008
General:
That Christians may cultivate a deep and personal friendship with Christ so they are able to communicate the strength of His love to those they encounter
Mission:
That the International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec, Canada, may lead to ever deeper understanding of the Eucharist, the heart of the Church and source of evangelization. (source EWTN)

PHOTO: 1. Sacred Heart of Jesus - (c)jblewis 2008. 2. Climbing "the pinnacle" at "Awesome walls." 3. Statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, from a Birkenhead church -artist unknown..4. Composit of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart - artist unknown.