DAY 26
Saving Grace: (1 minute) The greatest Dragon Slayer that ever lived (other than Jesus himself) was the virgin Mary. Satan's pride is no match for the humility of Mary. He doesn't know how to employ it or deal with it... that is why he is always in direct confrontation with the woman. Satan said "I will not serve." Mary said "Do whatever he tells you." Nobody's prayers are more powerful than Mary's. Invoke the power of that intercession.
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished
children of Eve, to thee do we send
up our sighs, mourning and weeping
in this valley, of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us; and
after this our exile show unto us the
blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus;
O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the
promises of Christ.
Athletics: (30 seconds) We will use the acronym S.P.O.R.T.S to focus on 6 virtues that will keep you focused all 40 days. Virtue of the day: Sportsmanship.....Don't be a scoreboard watcher. Scoreboard watchers care only about one thing....who has more points on the scoreboard. Don't get me wrong the scoreboard is important. But it is not the most important thing. It is only important because it helps us accomplish our goal. It motivates us to do our best. However, scoreboard watchers are always comparing themselves to somebody else. This is dangerous. If we do this, we will get lazy when our competition is weak and we will give up when our competition is way ahead. The real opponent is yourself....it's you against you. Finish with nothing left to give. That is the most important thing, regardless of what the scoreboard says. It's not about what you do, it's about who you become.
Instructor's Manual: (10 minutes) Prepare for Sunday Mass by reading the readings ahead of time. http://usccb.org/bible/readings/040614.cfm
Do you have small children at home? It is important that they learn how to prepare for Sunday Mass. Click on the link below...each week they will show a video for the gospel, have a coloring page, and a quiz. Try it!
http://www.holyheroes.com/HolyHeroesFun-com-s/57.htm
Need to Know Him: (1 minute)
Learn to say this prayer of abandonment with a sincerity:
Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures -
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.
Charles de Foucauld
THEOLOGY OF THE BODY: (59 Minutes) Today is session 5 of Saints in the Making University video series. Of all the topics in SIMU, this one may be the most challenging. There are a lot of very difficult topics in this session....same sex attraction, contraception, embryonic stem cell research, in-vitro fertilization, women priests, and others. I hope you will watch with an open mind and heart and begin to see the Church's view through the eyes of a mother who loves her children.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqyxIxA_3t4 (not for young children)
Sacrifice and Service: (2 minutes) Story of the Day
Ship Wreck
A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of
the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two
survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other
recourse but to pray to God.
However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed
to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the
island.
The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the
first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able
to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren. After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing. Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The
next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second
man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife
would leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side
of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to
leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from
heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?" "My
blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the
first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not
deserve anything."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one
prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any
of my blessings." "Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "What did he pray for that I should owe him anything?" "He prayed that all your prayers be
answered."
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us.
My prayer for you today is that all your prayers are answered.
Saving Grace: (1 minute) The greatest Dragon Slayer that ever lived (other than Jesus himself) was the virgin Mary. Satan's pride is no match for the humility of Mary. He doesn't know how to employ it or deal with it... that is why he is always in direct confrontation with the woman. Satan said "I will not serve." Mary said "Do whatever he tells you." Nobody's prayers are more powerful than Mary's. Invoke the power of that intercession.
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished
children of Eve, to thee do we send
up our sighs, mourning and weeping
in this valley, of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us; and
after this our exile show unto us the
blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus;
O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the
promises of Christ.
Athletics: (30 seconds) We will use the acronym S.P.O.R.T.S to focus on 6 virtues that will keep you focused all 40 days. Virtue of the day: Sportsmanship.....Don't be a scoreboard watcher. Scoreboard watchers care only about one thing....who has more points on the scoreboard. Don't get me wrong the scoreboard is important. But it is not the most important thing. It is only important because it helps us accomplish our goal. It motivates us to do our best. However, scoreboard watchers are always comparing themselves to somebody else. This is dangerous. If we do this, we will get lazy when our competition is weak and we will give up when our competition is way ahead. The real opponent is yourself....it's you against you. Finish with nothing left to give. That is the most important thing, regardless of what the scoreboard says. It's not about what you do, it's about who you become.
Instructor's Manual: (10 minutes) Prepare for Sunday Mass by reading the readings ahead of time. http://usccb.org/bible/readings/040614.cfm
Do you have small children at home? It is important that they learn how to prepare for Sunday Mass. Click on the link below...each week they will show a video for the gospel, have a coloring page, and a quiz. Try it!
http://www.holyheroes.com/HolyHeroesFun-com-s/57.htm
Need to Know Him: (1 minute)
Learn to say this prayer of abandonment with a sincerity:
Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures -
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.
Charles de Foucauld
THEOLOGY OF THE BODY: (59 Minutes) Today is session 5 of Saints in the Making University video series. Of all the topics in SIMU, this one may be the most challenging. There are a lot of very difficult topics in this session....same sex attraction, contraception, embryonic stem cell research, in-vitro fertilization, women priests, and others. I hope you will watch with an open mind and heart and begin to see the Church's view through the eyes of a mother who loves her children.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqyxIxA_3t4 (not for young children)
Sacrifice and Service: (2 minutes) Story of the Day
Ship Wreck
A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of
the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two
survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other
recourse but to pray to God.
However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed
to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the
island.
The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the
first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able
to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren. After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing. Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The
next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second
man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife
would leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side
of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to
leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from
heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?" "My
blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the
first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not
deserve anything."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one
prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any
of my blessings." "Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "What did he pray for that I should owe him anything?" "He prayed that all your prayers be
answered."
For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us.
My prayer for you today is that all your prayers are answered.
