Wednesday May 22, 2024
ST RITA OF CASCIA, REL. (Opt. Mem.)
Office: Psalter Week 3
Mass and Preface of day
Vestment: White
Today’s Rosary: Glorious Mystery
Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading
FIRST READING
“What is your life? You ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills. ”
A reading from the Letter of Saint James (James 4: 13-17)
Beloved: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and get gain”; whereas you do not know about tomorrow. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and we shall do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM 49:2-3.6-7.8-10.11 (R. Mt 5:3)
R/. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Hear this, all you peoples,
give ear, all who dwell in the world,
people both high and low,
rich and poor alike! R/.
Why should I fear in evil days
the malice of the foes who surround me,
those who trust in their wealth,
and boast of the vastness of their riches? R/.
R/. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
No man can ransom a brother,
nor pay a price to God for his life.
How high is the price of his soul!
The ransom can never be enough!
No one can buy life unending,
nor avoid coming to the grave. R/.
Anyone sees that the wise will die;
the foolish will perish with the senseless,
and leave their wealth to others. R/.
ALLELUIA John 14:6
Alleluia. I am the way, and the truth, and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father, but by me. Alleluia.
Also Read: Daily Reading for Tuesday, May 21th, 2024
GOSPEL
“He that is not against us is for us.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 9:38-40)
At that time: John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is for us.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
Every moment is a precious gift. Make use of this moment well. No single moment of life should be taken for granted. Live every moment as if it were your last. Do not spend all your time thinking about tomorrow when you are not sure of how today will end. You may never live to see the end of today, let alone tomorrow! Spend this day with eternity in mind. Do this moment, the good you want to do tomorrow. Never boast of the next minute nor think that tomorrow is in your hand. Whatever is right, do it now. Reconcile with a friend. Go to confession. Make up. Any further, undue delay may be too late.
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL IN HONOUR OF B.V.M
You cannot please God if you are proud, arrogant and selfish. These are vices and should not be allowed to take root in us in our journey of faith.
Our Blessed Mother Mary was very humble and in her humility she called upon God in prayer and she always received a positive response. We must try to humble ourselves like our Mother Mary before the Lord so that He will exalt us in due time.
You lose nothing by being humble, but you can lose everything by being selfish and arrogant. In humility serve your brothers and sisters in this life and God will lift you up someday.
Let us pray,
Lord Jesus Christ, help me to be humble and to use every opportunity you give me to be at the service of humanity in a manner that will bring glory to your name and may my prayers be answered when I call upon your name. Amen. And May the Almighty God bless you: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Meditation: James 4:1-10 / Mark 9:30-37
SAINT RITA OF CASCIA, Religious: Rita was born in Italy in 1377. She lived an ordinary life as a married woman until the time when her husband was murdered. Then, in her desire to live a consecrated life, she joined the Augustinian Nuns and spent the rest of her life doing penance and praying out of love for the crucified Lord. She died in 1447.
MAY DEVOTION
Proposed Program of Daily Events for May Devotion (Personal / Group)
1. Opening / Introduction: Sign of the Cross + / (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament optional)
2. ACT OF CONTRITION: O my God because you’re so good, I am very sorry that I have sinned against you and by the help of your grace I will not sin again.
3. ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: O most pure heart of Mary, full of goodness, show your love towards us. Let the flame of your heart, O Mary, descend on all people. We love you immensely. Impress on our hearts true love so that we may long for you. O Mary, gentle and humble of heart, remember us when we sin. You know that all we sin. Grant that through your most pure and motherly heart, we may be healed from every spiritual sickness. Grant that we may always experience the goodness of your motherly heart, and that through the flame of your heart we may be converted. Amen.
4. Rosary Recitation and Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Begin with the invocation of the Holy Spirit: Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the heart……….
5. ART OF REPARATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: O Most Holy Virgin, and Our Mother, we listen with grief to the complaints of your immaculate Heart surrounded with the thorns placed therein at every moment by the blasphemies and ingratitude of ungrateful humanity. We are moved by the ardent desire of loving you as Our Mother and of promising a true devotion to your Immaculate Heart. We therefore kneel before you to manifest the sorrow we feel for the grievances that people cause you, and to atone by our prayers and sacrifices for the offenses with which they return your love. Obtain for them and for us the pardon of so many sins. Hasten the conversion of sinners that they may love Jesus Christ and cease to offend the Lord, already so much offended. Turn your eyes of mercy toward us, that we may love God with all our heart on earth and enjoy him forever in Heaven.
6. Brief talk on Blessed Virgin Mary
7. Gift of candle light and offering of petition. (Lighting of candles and submission of petition).
8. MEMORARE: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
9. Prayers for the intention of Our Holy Father (One Our Father, One Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father).
10.Closing / Benediction
