Sister and Brothers:
How wonderful to be together at Saint James last Saturday for the Annual Walsingham Pilgrimage. I’ve added the name of Lois Tamplin, sister of John, to our list of Associates as she was received at Saint Rocco’s Church, Youngstown, during the 1970’s when that parish was active. She has also been on pilgrimage to the Holy House at Our Lady’s shrine in Walsingham. Interest in the Associates was expressed by John Das who attended Saturday’s pilgrimage with his rector, Fr. Kester from Saint Mary’s, Akron. You will want to add both Lois and John to you prayer list of intercessions.
Archbishop Haverland spoke eloquently on both Saturday and Sunday reminding us that all of our efforts for Christ and His Church must be supported by a life of prayer if our parishes are to grow in numbers and our lives in personal holiness. There may or may not be a decline in Christian practice, but we are certainly witnessing the collapse of casual Christianity and of religious belief. I suspect the crisis is one of faith as we have failed to embrace Our Lord and His Gospel with passion, conviction and joy. What is sad and tragic, dispiriting, is to see so many who once walked with us in the joy of the Lord, now seeking happiness elsewhere. Be assured that as we pray we are always surrounded by the prayers and love of Mary. May we shine with her in the radiance of Christ’s glory that He may be known, worshipped and obeyed to the ends of the earth and the end of time.
Today, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ recalls us to that incredible and abundant love of Him who offered Himself on the hard wood of the cross that we might be set free from the burden of our sins. It was there, on the cross that Our Lord’s Sacred Heart was physically broken by the suffering His body endured and the piercing spear, and spiritually torn asunder by the weight of the sins He bore for us and our salvation. May we offer an act of reparation in offering our own hearts in loving trust and obedience to Him seeking the assistance and prayers of His blessed Mother who held His sacred Body in both life and death.
You may find the following appropriate today and in the days to come.
O MOST HOLY HEART OF JESUS, fountain of every blessing, I adore Thee, I love Thee, and with a lively sorrow for my sins, I offer The this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to Thy will. Grant good Jesu, that I may live in Thee and for Thee. Protect me in the midst of danger; comfort me in my afflictions; give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, Thy blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.
O BLESSED LORD, grant that in union with Thy Sacred Heart the glory of God may be the chief end of my life, the Will of God be the law of my conduct, the Love of God be the motive of my actions, and Thy Life be the model and mode of my own; for Thine own merits sake; Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, livest and reignest ever one God, world without end. Amen.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus burn with the fire of His love for you.
Fr. Lutz