Lent Prayer Buddies

I skipped doing Prayer Buddies last year year.  It was probably both pure laziness and a percieved lack of interest.  But, sometimes God gives you people to remind you that some things do matter and are worth the effort.  

In just a couple of weeks we will be starting Lent.  I don't know about you, but I haven't given a whole lot of thought yet about what I want to do. Do I give something up?  Do add a prayer or reading to my day?  One thing I do like and appreciate is increased, focused prayer for someone else. 

During these forty days, you can say prayers, novenas, and rosaries, light candles, and offer up suffering for your secret Prayer Buddy and whatever intentions he or she specifies.  On Easter, or shortly thereafter, you will let your assigned person who you are and how you remembered them.

Those interested in participating, please email me at:

prayerbuddy@roadrunner.com

I will need from you is:

Your first name or first initial
Your blog address and email address (or just email address if you are not a blogger)
Your intentions

Optional:

Your full name
Your address
(Address can be provided if your Prayer Buddy plans to send you a small remembrance at Easter)

DEADLINE FOR SIGN-UPS IS: Friday, March 1st


AMDG

Advent Prayer Buddies

I have to admit, I thought about not doing Prayer Buddies this year.  It was just pure laziness, no other reason.  But, sometimes God gives you people to remind you that some things do matter and are worth the effort.  

So, without further ado. . . 


In just a couple of weeks we will be starting Advent.  I don't know about you, but I haven't given a whole lot of thought yet about what I want to do.  The one thing, I do know, is that I am looking forward to increased, focused prayer for my Prayer Buddy. 

During Advent, you can say prayers, novenas, and rosaries, light candles, and offer up suffering for your secret Prayer Buddy and whatever intentions he or she specifies.  On Christmas, or shortly thereafter, you will let your assigned person who you are and how you remembered them.

Those interested in participating, please email me at:

prayerbuddy@roadrunner.com

I will need from you is:

Your first name or first initial
Your blog address and email address (or just email address if you are not a blogger)
Your intentions

Optional:

Your full name
Your address
(Address can be provided if your Prayer Buddy plans to send you a small remembrance at Christmas)

DEADLINE FOR SIGN-UPS IS: Friday, November 30th

When the World Goes Crazy

With the events of this past weekend, I have felt sad, mad, troubled and depressed.  There are things I thought about saying, most likely not what you might think.  However, I was reminded during last night's Mass for the Feast of the Assumption, there is but one thing to do.  It is time to turn to Mary, patroness of this country.

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;
behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age
to those who fear him.

He has shown might with his arm,
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant,
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

Luke 1:46-55

 

Perhaps it is time to commit to prayer, even just one Hail Mary, one Ave, each day.  Won't you join me?

 

AMDG

Lost and Found

When I was digging out the last shrub of my never-ending-but-it's-going-to-be-finished-this-summer landscaping project, the shovel hit something that clunked unlike any of the roots that I was aiming for.  A couple more jabs and I pulled out a white plastic something coated in dirt and mud.

After I wiped off the muck, I discovered that St. Joseph has been right outside our front door for the last thirteen years!

Over the last few years we have developed a special devotion to this saint.  He is our "go to" guy for all sorts of prayers and petitions.  Every morning, Himself and I pray the following prayer:

St. Joseph, 

you provided for those who were 

given to your care in this life.  

Intercede on our behalf, 

so we may receive the grace we need 

to provide for those whom 

are given to our care, 

whether for a moment or for a lifetime.  

Amen.

Now I understand.  He's been standing guard all this time.

I cleaned him up and found a better home for him than the dirt in which he was buried.  He now resides in the flower pot just outside the front door.  If you visit, don't forget to say hello!

AMDG

Prayer Buddy Reminder

There's still time to sign up for Lenten Prayer Buddies.  See the previous post for details.  Match-ups will be sent out late tomorrow evening.


AMDG

Prayer Buddies and Lent Ideas

Yikes!  Where did this month go?  I just looked at the calendar and realized Lent starts in less than 10 days.  Ten days, people!!

 

I haven't given much thought, yet, to what I want to do.  The food thing seems to be out since I'm already doing most of what I would have done for general health reasons - no sugar, no alcohol, limited gluten.  I'm open to suggestions.

 

- Maybe give up some TV?  Notice I said some TV.  All would be just talkin' crazy.

 

- Read something other than fiction?  I've had Everything is Grace, Mother Angelica Her Grand Silence, City of Saints, and Into Your Hands, among others, sitting on my bookshelf, unread, for quite a while now.

 

 

Two things I am definitely doing for this Lent are:

 

- Bishop Barron's Lenten Daily Reflections.  You can sign up here.

 

- Prayer Buddies.  Details are below.

 

 

During Lent, you can say prayers, novenas, and rosaries, light candles, and offer up suffering for your secret Prayer Buddy and whatever intentions he or she specifies.  On Easter, or shortly thereafter, you will let your assigned person who you are and how you remembered them.

Those interested in participating, please email me at:

prayerbuddy@roadrunner.com

I will need from you is:

Your first name or first initial

Your blog address (or email address if you are not a blogger)

Your intentions

Optional:

Your full name

Your address

(Address can be provided if your Prayer Buddy plans to send you a small remembrance at Easter)

DEADLINE FOR SIGN-UPS IS: Monday, February 27th.

AMDG

Someone To Watch Over Me

A number of years ago, Jen Fulwiler created the Saint's Name Generator website.   Say a prayer, click on a button, and a saint is randomly selected for you.  Is it really random or is it who our good Lord thinks we need in the coming year?

 

Some people like to do this at the beginning of the liturgical year at the start of Advent.  Others prefer to find their new saint for the new calendar year.  Me?  Usually it's when I remember, and there's no rhyme or reason as to when that is. 

 

Other than Our Lady of Guadalupe, I have known nothing about the other saints that I have been given - St. Cajetan, Blessed Titus Brandsma, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

 

For the coming year, I received a saint that I have heard of but know little about - St. Mark the Evangelist.  He was one of Christ's original twelve disciples and author of one of the books in the Gospel.  He is also patron saint of lions, lawyers, notaries, opticians, pharmacists, painters, secretaries, interpreters, prisoners, and people dealing with insect bites.  I am curious as to how St. Mark fits in to my 2017.

 

 

 Did you get your saint yet? 

 

St. Mark, pray for us!

 

AMDG

Advent Prayer Buddies

In just a couple of weeks we will be starting Advent.  I don't know about you, but I haven't given a whole lot of thought yet about what I want to do.  The one thing, I do know, is that I am looking forward to increased, focused prayer for my Prayer Buddy. 

During Advent, you can say prayers, novenas, and rosaries, light candles, and offer up suffering for your secret Prayer Buddy and whatever intentions he or she specifies.  On Christmas, or shortly thereafter, you will let your assigned person who you are and how you remembered them.

Those interested in participating, please email me at:

prayerbuddy@roadrunner.com

I will need from you is:

Your first name or first initial
Your blog address (or email address if you are not a blogger)
Your intentions

Optional:

Your full name
Your address
(Address can be provided if your Prayer Buddy plans to send you a small remembrance at Christmas)

DEADLINE FOR SIGN-UPS IS: Wednesday, November 23rd


AMDG

Can you spare a prayer?

This morning we received an email from a good friend of ours.

Prayers please...

 ...for K. He is having urgent lumbar surgery at P**** Hospital sometime today, as he lost his ability to walk yesterday.

We just had dinner with K & S on Saturday.  While K was hurting a lot with severe back pain, we had no idea it was this bad.  We had terrific conversations, as always, and left with the promise of seeing them again soon.

I know they would both appreciate your prayers.

St. Gemma Galgani, pray for K!


AMDG

Blessings

I ate my lunch at my desk today while reading one of the latest Patterson novels.  As I sat there, I heard something from a nearby office. 

I got up and stood at the door and listened.  My coworker, Nori, was singing quietly to herself.  I couldn't understand the words she was singing, but it was lovely.  I felt like I was intruding on someone's prayer. 

And, in a way I was.  The song she was singing is Blessings by Laura Story.

It seems every which way you look these days, we hear of pain, suffering, tragedy, things happening that shouldn't be.  It doesn't matter how much we pray, we live in a fallen world and those things will be.  But, we pray on, seeking God's mercy.

This was a song I needed to hear today.

Blessings

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

CHORUS:

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

(Repeat CHORUS)

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not,
This is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

AMDG

Lenten Prayer Buddies

In just one week we will be starting Lent.  I don't know about you, but I haven't given a whole lot of thought yet about what I want to do.  The one thing, I do know, is that I am looking forward to increased, focused prayer for my Prayer Buddy.

During Lent, you can say prayers, novenas, and rosaries, light candles, and offer up suffering for your secret Prayer Buddy and whatever intentions he or she specifies.  On Easter, or shortly thereafter, you will let your assigned person who you are and how you remembered them.

Those interested in participating, please email me at:

prayerbuddy@roadrunner.com

I will need from you is:

Your first name or first initial
Your blog address (or email address if you are not a blogger)
Your intentions

Optional:

Your full name
Your address
(Address can be provided if your Prayer Buddy plans to send you a small remembrance at Easter)

DEADLINE FOR SIGN-UPS IS: Tuesday, February 9th

AMDG  

Last Call: Advent Prayer Buddies

With Advent fast approaching, there is still time to sign up for Prayer Buddies.  See this post for details.  You don't have to be a blogger to join in.

I will be sending out emails either Friday afternoon or Saturday morning with your assigned buddy.

 

Join us this Advent in praying for a specific blogger/reader's intentions!

AMDG

Advent Prayer Buddies Anyone?

Yikes!  We're more than halfway through November and quickly approaching Thanksgiving and Advent. I've been pleasantly surprised, so far, that I haven't seen all that many Christmas commercials.  I'm sure that is all about to change soon.

But, before I start planning for Christmas, I want to start planning for Advent.  I have found putting time, thought and a bit of effort during these four weeks makes for a much more joyous and meaningful Christmas season. 

Last year a bunch of us returned to an old Catholic (IF) blogger tradition, Prayer Buddies.  During Advent, you can say prayers, novenas, and rosaries, light candles, and offer up suffering for your secret Prayer Buddy and whatever intentions he or she specifies.  On Christmas, or shortly thereafter, you will let your assigned person who you are and how you remembered them.

Those interested in participating, please email me at:

prayerbuddy@roadrunner.com

I will need from you is:

Your first name or first initial
Your blog address (or email address if you are not a blogger)
Your intentions

Optional:

Your full name
Your address
(Address can be provided if your Prayer Buddy plans to send you a small gift at Christmas)

DEADLINE FOR SIGN-UPS IS: Thursday, November 26th

AMDG

Weekends with Chesterton: the Passion and Resurrection

…And if there be any sound that can produce a silence, we may surely be

silent about the end and the extremity; when a cry was driven out of

that darkness in words dreadfully distinct and dreadfully

unintelligible, which man shall never understand in all the eternity they

have purchased for him; and for one annihilating instant an abyss that is not

for our thoughts had opened even in the unity of the absolute;
and God had been forsaken of God.

They took the body down from the cross and one of the few rich men among

the first Christians obtained permission to bury it in a rock tomb in his

garden; the Romans setting a military guard lest there should be some riot

and attempt to recover the body. There was once more a natural symbolism

in these natural proceedings; it was well that the tomb should be sealed with

all the secrecy of ancient eastern sepulture and guarded by the authority of

the Caesars. For in that second cavern the whole of that great and glorious

humanity which we call antiquity was gathered up and covered over; and in

that place it was buried. It was the end of a very great thing

called human history; the history that was merely human.

The mythologies and the philosophies were buried there, the gods and the

heroes and the sages. In the great Roman phrase, they had lived. But as they

could only live, so they could only die;
and they were dead.

On the third day the friends of Christ coming at daybreak to the place found

the grave empty and the stone rolled away. In varying ways they realised the

new wonder; but even they hardly realised that the world had died in the

night. What they were looking at was the first day of a new

creation, with a new heaven and a new earth; and in a

semblance of the gardener God walked again in the garden, in the cool not of

the evening but the dawn.

The Everlasting Man

AMDG

The Donkey

 

AMDG

St. Joseph, Pray For Us!

St. Joseph has always been near and dear to our hearts.  We often pray to him when we need guidance in our relationships, employment, and life in general.  Himself wrote the prayer above that we try to recite daily.

Happy Feast of St. Joseph!


AMDG

Last Call: Lenten Prayer Buddies

With Ash Wednesday fast approaching, there is still time to sign up for Lenten Prayer Buddies.  See this post for details.  I'm pushing off the deadline until Monday evening.

 

Join us this Lent in praying for a specific blogger/reader's intentions!

 

AMDG

Lenten Prayer Buddies

Lent is right around the corner and it's time to start thinking about how we would like to spend those forty days.   When I first started blogging a number of years ago there was the practice of Prayer Buddies during the Advent and Lenten seasons.  We tried it again during Advent and had a great response. 

This Lent, you can say prayers, novenas, and rosaries, light candles, and offer up suffering for your secret Prayer Buddy and whatever intentions he or she specifies.

Those interested in participating, please email me at:

prayerbuddy@roadrunner.com

I will need from you is:

Your first name or first initial
Your blog address (or email address if you are not a blogger)
Your intentions

Optional:

Your full name
Your address
(Address can be provided if your Prayer Buddy plans to send you a small gift at Easter)

DEADLINE FOR SIGN-UPS IS: Sunday, February 15th


AMDG

REMINDER: Advent Prayer Buddies

Just a reminder that there is still time to sign up for Advent Prayer Buddies.  Most likely I will be doing the assignments on Friday and sending emails out shortly thereafter.

Those interested in participating, please email me at:

prayerbuddy@roadrunner.com

I will need from you is:

Your first name or first initial
Your blog address (or email address if you are not a blogger)
Your intentions

Optional:

Your full name
Your address
(Address can be provided if your Prayer Buddy plans to send you a small gift at Christmas)

AMDG 

Advent Prayer Buddies

If you watch much TV or read on the internet even a bit you are frequently reminded that Christmas is right around the corner.  You had better get shopping and decorating and planning those parties because the big day will be here before you know it!

There are not a lot of reminders on preparing spiritually.  About the only one I have seen is for Fr. Barron’s daily emails.

When I first started blogging a number of years ago there was the practice of Prayer Buddies during the Advent and Lenten seasons.  I miss that.  I found it to be a powerful time in focusing spiritually on the season at hand.  It was a blessing to spend time praying for someone else’s intentions and knowing someone was doing the same for me.

I would like to resurrect the practice this year.  During Advent, you can say prayers, novenas, and rosaries, light candles, and offer up suffering for your secret Prayer Buddy and whatever intentions he or she specifies.

Those interested in participating, please email me at:

prayerbuddy@roadrunner.com

I will need from you is:

Your first name or first initial
Your blog address (or email address if you are not a blogger)
Your intentions

Optional:

Your full name
Your address
(Address can be provided if your Prayer Buddy plans to send you a small gift at Christmas)

DEADLINE FOR SIGN-UPS IS: Wednesday, November 26th


AMDG