Category: Prayers in English

PEACEMAKING

“The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!” —Numbers 6:24-26 For almost fifty years, the popes have been calling us to devote this first day of the year to praying for peace and justice. Few Catholics have listened to the popes, and we have reaped the wages of our disobedience in war and death (see Rm 6:23). May this New Year’s Day be new. May we obey and be peacemakers (see Mt 5:9). Mary, the queen of peace,...

HOW TO END A YEAR

“Children, it is the final hour; just as you heard that the antichrist was coming, so now many such antichrists have appeared.” –1 John 2:18 Many “antichrists have appeared.” “It was from our ranks that they took their leave — not that they really belonged to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have stayed with us” (1 Jn 2:19). There are baptized Christians who are officially members of the Church but do not belong to the Church in their hearts. These people have joined the Church socially and culturally but have not totally given their lives...

HEROD IN YOUR HOME

“Herod is searching for the Child to destroy Him.” –Matthew 2:13 Modern-day “Herods” are still searching for children to destroy (Mt 2:13). These Herods gain entry to the home right under the nose of the parents, who are paralyzed or asleep on the watch (see Mt 26:40). Once the new Herods gain access to the home, they attempt to take over formation of the children in that home. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton prophesied in the 1800’s that evil would come into every home through a “black box.” There are many such “boxes” in the modern home. Television is a major...

HERODS CAN BECOME “HOLY INNOCENTS”

“…Rachel bewailing her children; no comfort for her, since they are no more.” –Matthew 2:18 Why does the Lord permit evil? Why did He allow “the massacre of all the boys two years old and under in Bethlehem and its environs”? (Mt 2:16) One explanation is that He loves the Herods of the world very much and wants to save them all (see 1 Tm 2:4). The suffering of these innocents is the most powerful means in God’s plan of salvation for changing the most hardened Herod-hearts. We see this in the deaths of the martyrs and especially in the...

HERODS CAN BECOME “HOLY INNOCENTS”

“…Rachel bewailing her children; no comfort for her, since they are no more.” –Matthew 2:18 Why does the Lord permit evil? Why did He allow “the massacre of all the boys two years old and under in Bethlehem and its environs”? (Mt 2:16) One explanation is that He loves the Herods of the world very much and wants to save them all (see 1 Tm 2:4). The suffering of these innocents is the most powerful means in God’s plan of salvation for changing the most hardened Herod-hearts. We see this in the deaths of the martyrs and especially in the...