In our parish and in many parishes in the United States, there is always a transition period in the Mass from the time we say "Lord I am not worthy..." to the time the first people come up for Communion, and the Communion song is announced and begins. Recently I came across a prayer in my June edition of "Give Us This Day" (page 12) that I recommend for anyone and everyone to pray during that transition period.
ACT OF FAITH BEFORE COMMUNION
I believe and confess, Lord,
that You are truly the Christ,
The Son of the living God,
Who came into the world to save sinners,
Of whom I am the first.
I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body.
Therefore, I pray to You, have mercy upon me,
And forgive my transgressions,
Voluntary and involuntary,
In word and deed, known and unknown.
And make me worthy, with condemnation,
To partake of Your pure Mysteries
For the remission of sins and for eternal life. Amen.
This prayer is from the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom who lived in the 5th century. This is one example of short prayers that are found each month in the "Give Us This Day" booklet along with the readings for Mass for each day of the liturgical year, along with short reflections based on those readings each day and a short morning and evening prayer. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to join the more than 100 families who participate in our bulk subscription of "Give Us This Day" at a cost of only $20 a year. You have only a couple more weeks to get a new subscription, or renew your current subscription - either on the table in the narthex or with Linda in the church office. The new or renewed subscription will start with the September edition of "Give Us This Day." Include the Lord and His Word more in your daily life through this publication and find blessings coming more and more into your life!
ACT OF FAITH BEFORE COMMUNION
I believe and confess, Lord,
that You are truly the Christ,
The Son of the living God,
Who came into the world to save sinners,
Of whom I am the first.
I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body.
Therefore, I pray to You, have mercy upon me,
And forgive my transgressions,
Voluntary and involuntary,
In word and deed, known and unknown.
And make me worthy, with condemnation,
To partake of Your pure Mysteries
For the remission of sins and for eternal life. Amen.
This prayer is from the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom who lived in the 5th century. This is one example of short prayers that are found each month in the "Give Us This Day" booklet along with the readings for Mass for each day of the liturgical year, along with short reflections based on those readings each day and a short morning and evening prayer. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to join the more than 100 families who participate in our bulk subscription of "Give Us This Day" at a cost of only $20 a year. You have only a couple more weeks to get a new subscription, or renew your current subscription - either on the table in the narthex or with Linda in the church office. The new or renewed subscription will start with the September edition of "Give Us This Day." Include the Lord and His Word more in your daily life through this publication and find blessings coming more and more into your life!
In my homily last weekend, I spoke of the reality that Jesus wants us to have a broadened definition of family that goes far beyond our biological relatives. As members of a "parish" family, we have many ways to support one another in our faith journey and in our overall journey of life. One of these is our brothers and sisters in Christ who have agreed to be "Prayer Warriors" for people who are in crises, especially when it involves physical sickness. Please look in the bulletin to find phone numbers that you can call to request prayers for yourself or a loved one. Keep these numbers somewhere convenient so you can utilize them if or when the need arises.
Speaking of prayer warriors, while we are always open to increasing our number of prayer warriors (currently around 90 people who pray for people in crises situations) we have around 300 prayers warriors who spend at least an hour in the peace and quiet of our Adoration chapel before Jesus in the Monstrance during all hours of the day and night. We are heading toward our five-year anniversary of having Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, and most of the adorers who spend an hour in prayer, reflection and/or spiritual reading, have been doing this since we began in November 2013. We ALWAYS want and NEED new adorers who will take a regular hour each week (sometimes with a prayer partner) or will be available to substitute for someone when they cannot make their hour. Currently we are in a bit of a pinch as one of our adorers who was covering FOUR HOURS A WEEK is cutting back to one hour. Therefore we have three hours which need to be filled by at least one person AND these hours are at challenging and rewarding times: Wednesday from 1:00-2:00 a.m., Saturday from 1:00-2:00 a.m. and Sunday from 3:00-4:00 a.m. If you would be willing to take any of those hours every week, please call Lorie Vincent at 337-654-2871.
We are TRULY blessed to have so many brothers and sisters in the Lord who seek a closer union with Jesus Christ in these prayer-filled opportunities and in other ways. Please consider be counted in that number and find yourself counting the blessings that come from it for you, and especially for others who benefit from your prayers!
Speaking of prayer warriors, while we are always open to increasing our number of prayer warriors (currently around 90 people who pray for people in crises situations) we have around 300 prayers warriors who spend at least an hour in the peace and quiet of our Adoration chapel before Jesus in the Monstrance during all hours of the day and night. We are heading toward our five-year anniversary of having Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, and most of the adorers who spend an hour in prayer, reflection and/or spiritual reading, have been doing this since we began in November 2013. We ALWAYS want and NEED new adorers who will take a regular hour each week (sometimes with a prayer partner) or will be available to substitute for someone when they cannot make their hour. Currently we are in a bit of a pinch as one of our adorers who was covering FOUR HOURS A WEEK is cutting back to one hour. Therefore we have three hours which need to be filled by at least one person AND these hours are at challenging and rewarding times: Wednesday from 1:00-2:00 a.m., Saturday from 1:00-2:00 a.m. and Sunday from 3:00-4:00 a.m. If you would be willing to take any of those hours every week, please call Lorie Vincent at 337-654-2871.
We are TRULY blessed to have so many brothers and sisters in the Lord who seek a closer union with Jesus Christ in these prayer-filled opportunities and in other ways. Please consider be counted in that number and find yourself counting the blessings that come from it for you, and especially for others who benefit from your prayers!
While the music, the readings and even some of the prayers are different, the order of the ritual of Ordination to the priesthood is the same. That was clear to me as I concelebrated the Ordination to priesthood of my nephew Stephen, as well as Michael Johns, Daniel Ramos and Joseph Deabagozo last Saturday at Christ the King in Little Rock. The candidates for priesthood made promises to God through the bishop, to exercise their priestly ministry with great devotion, attention and care, and they promised obedience to the bishop and his successors in the office of bishop for our diocese. We prayed the Litany of Saints as the candidates lay prostrate on the floor outside the sanctuary. The bishop then, after saying a long prayer of consecration, "laid hands" on the candidates heads as "THE" primary moment of Ordination as the ancient "passing on" of Holy Orders through the Holy Spirit comes upon the priests and they received the eternal character of priesthood. After the concelebrating priests also laid hands on the priests, the new priests had their hands consecrated by the hands of the bishop with Sacred Chrism, then they were vested with the priests stole and chasuble (the latter of which I put over my nephews head), and after being greeted warmly by the bishop and all the priests present, the bishop presented them the chalice and paten through which they will celebrate Mass countless times for the rest of their lives. The newly-ordained priests then took their place behind the bishop at the altar and along with the rest of the priests, concelebrated the rest of the Mass.
Though it was a long liturgy (lasting almost two and one-half hours), like the Easter Vigil, I believe it flowed in such a way that it didn't seem that long. Those who participated in the Mass are rewarded in a number of ways INCLUDING receiving the first blessing from the newly-ordained priests at the end of Mass.
Right before that blessing, the bishop thanked all those who had any part in bringing these men to the priesthood. I hope you know that many of our parishioners, though not mentioned by name, should surely be included in that number as we have made it a priority to support vocations to the priesthood in the Diocese of Little Rock. I want to thank you, on behalf of the bishop, the newly-ordained priests (eight in all) and myself, for your prayers and support for these and the others who have been ordained in recent years as well as those still in formation including our own parishioner, Jonathan Semmler. I also want to invite you to reserve the date of Friday, July 27, as that is the date for our annual fundraising dinner for our Seminarians. Our bishop, Monsignor Friend and seminarians will join us and a few priests, including we hope, one of our newly-ordained priests. It promises to be a great experience for all who speak loudly once again of our love for the priesthood and for our seminarians who are preparing for a life of service to the Lord and his Gospel!
Though it was a long liturgy (lasting almost two and one-half hours), like the Easter Vigil, I believe it flowed in such a way that it didn't seem that long. Those who participated in the Mass are rewarded in a number of ways INCLUDING receiving the first blessing from the newly-ordained priests at the end of Mass.
Right before that blessing, the bishop thanked all those who had any part in bringing these men to the priesthood. I hope you know that many of our parishioners, though not mentioned by name, should surely be included in that number as we have made it a priority to support vocations to the priesthood in the Diocese of Little Rock. I want to thank you, on behalf of the bishop, the newly-ordained priests (eight in all) and myself, for your prayers and support for these and the others who have been ordained in recent years as well as those still in formation including our own parishioner, Jonathan Semmler. I also want to invite you to reserve the date of Friday, July 27, as that is the date for our annual fundraising dinner for our Seminarians. Our bishop, Monsignor Friend and seminarians will join us and a few priests, including we hope, one of our newly-ordained priests. It promises to be a great experience for all who speak loudly once again of our love for the priesthood and for our seminarians who are preparing for a life of service to the Lord and his Gospel!