May 22 - Prayer to St. Rita of Cascia

May 30 - Saturday of the 8th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

(Jd.17,20-25; Ps.63:2-6; Mk.11:27-33) "Welcome the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ which leads to eternal life." "As [Jesus] was walking in the temple precincts the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached Him." They come to Him who is the true Temple here in the place where He teaches, but they do not come "praying in the Holy Spirit" or "persever[ing] in God's love." Their questions rather are those which hold condemnation. If they had come seeking truth, they would be able to speak truth when asked by Him of John's baptism. But, far from seeking the grace of God, they desire only political advantage. And so they think among themselves, "If we say…" and "Can we say…" instead of simply baring their souls before Him who could save them. And so, answering, "We do not know," indeed do they close themselves off from knowledge of the "authority" and "power" given to Jesus the Christ. This cannot be our faith, brothers and sisters. Our faith must be as that sung of so beautifully by David in our psalm today: "O God, you are my God whom I seek; for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water." With all our beings we must strive to know Him whom our soul loves. Knowing our own emptiness apart from Him who is Truth, we indeed turn our "[gaze] toward [Him] in the sanctuary," we indeed long for His love and mercy. And instead of speaking ill against Him or looking to condemn Him, rather we bless Him with all our souls, singing with His servant David: "Lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name… and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you." The baptism of John was divine and Jesus is its divine fulfillment. He is the "One who can protect [us] from a fall and make [us] stand unblemished and exultant in the presence of His glory" if we but say, "Glory be to this only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord." His indeed are "majesty" and "might"; He indeed "correct[s] those who are confused" and "snatch[es] others from the fire." He has rescued us from sin and poured the water of the Holy Spirit upon us to slake our thirst for Him. And so, "as with the riches of a banquet shall [our] soul be satisfied." By the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, heaven is now ours. ******* O LORD, keep us from falling into our pride; let us not be separated from you. YHWH, how shall we stand unblemished and exultant in your presence? For all glory and majesty are yours, and what are we but sinful men? Take the stain from our hands and from our clothing. Only by the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ will we be made ready to stand before you; only by His grace can we bless your holy NAME. O let our lips praise you, dear God! May our souls be satisfied as with the riches of a banquet, the banquet of your eternal kingdom. Let us not doubt the glory you would share with us through our Baptism into your only Son. Let us know that He has come from you and would take us to you this day. O LORD, we gaze toward you in the sanctuary – our hearts long to join with you on high. Thank you for making your presence known to us even on this plane, and help us to persevere in your love each day.

May 29 - Prayer to St. Paul VI

O lover of the Church for whom you offered your life, defending the saving truths of the faith against the evil tide engulfing humanity, proclaiming the Gospel of Christ and the light of the Lord to the ends of a desolate world drowning in a thousand false notions of love as man makes himself God and so knows only emptiness inside – pray that we will extricate ourselves from the embrace of the culture of death and find a civilization of love; pray especially the smoke of Satan will be blown by the Spirit from this House you love that She may be evangelized anew and come to contemplate the glory of God.

May 29 - Friday of the 8th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

(1Pt.4:7-13; Ps.96:10-13; Mk.11:11-26) "The consummation of all is close at hand. Therefore, do not be perturbed; remain calm so that you will be able to pray." As at the time Jesus walks the earth the end of the Israelite nation is at hand – a consummation signified in "the fig tree withered to its roots" at His command, a consummation that will be fulfilled in the crucifixion of the Messiah but whose coming is already evident in the fact that the temple has been turned into "a den of thieves" – so at the time of Peter's writing, that end is about to be realized in the destruction of the temple. And more than this, the "trial by fire" occurring in the midst of the disciples refers greatly to the death of this world we face in becoming Christians, to the persecution faced by all His children and felt most genuinely at the hands of the Romans. But as all around is cast into the sea at the command of the Lord, we should not fear. This is the time to "put [our] trust in God," to pray in faith, to put [our] gifts at the service of one another" and "let [our] love for one another be constant." Rather than be sad, we must "rejoice instead, insofar as [we] share Christ's sufferings." For it should be our joy to see the temple cleansed, to have our hearts purified of all that is not holy – to witness the power of the hand of God at work. "For He governs the peoples with equity" as "He comes to rule the earth," so indeed "the heavens [should] be glad and the earth rejoice." "In all of you God is to be glorified through Jesus Christ." His "house is to be called a house of prayer for all peoples." We are His House now; we hold His promise – and we come to His glory as we share in the trials He has known. If the end is close at hand, if the world is already dead, if the devil's illusions are about to fade… what can this bring us but joy to know the Truth is about to be revealed and all His faithful ones are about to be gathered into His kingdom? Remain steadfast in love and prayer, and "a multitude of sins" shall indeed be covered; and the new life which has sprung from the withered roots of the fig tree shall soon be fulfilled in your sight. ******* O LORD, drive all evil from our midst that we might not wither to our roots. YHWH, you come to rule the earth with justice, to cast out all evildoers that your House might indeed be a house of prayer. And though such purgation bring suffering to our souls (for who is without sin?), uniting our trials to the sufferings of Christ and remaining true to His Word, we are indeed purged of all sin and made ready for the kingdom. O let us love this day! Let us place ourselves at the service of one another, freely sharing the gifts we have by the grace of your Son. It is in Him we find our home, in Him we know our salvation, and so let His chastisement be upon us for good, O LORD, as we seek to join Him in your eternal glory. All the earth shall rejoice at the coming of Jesus; the heavens shall sing praise at such wonder. For though the consummation of all be close at hand, O God, all who put their trust in you shall be remade in His image. Alleluia!

May 28 - Thursday of the 8th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

(1Pt.2:2-5,9-12; Ps.100:2-5; Mk.10:46-52) "Be as eager for milk as newborn babies – pure milk of the Spirit to make you grow unto salvation." Does not the "blind beggar Bartimaeus" show his eagerness for the milk of the Spirit, for the blood of Christ upon his soul, when he persistently calls out "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" despite those who "were scolding him to make him keep quiet"? And was his ready desire to meet with the Lord not revealed most clearly when "he threw aside his cloak, jumped up and came to Jesus." All else becomes as nothing as even in his blindness he strains forward to find the Lord. Brothers and sisters, should we not "come to Him, a living stone, rejected by men but approved, nonetheless, and precious in God's eyes," just as this beggar? Are we not "'a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people He claims for His own to proclaim the glorious works' of the One who called [us] from darkness into His marvelous light"? Is it not so that "once [we] were no people, but now [we] are God's people"? Once we were blind as Bartimaeus, without mercy for our souls, "but now [we] have found mercy." And oh how we should treasure such grace – even as a newborn child treasures its milk. Who better than Peter, our high priest, to let us know that we "too are living stones, built as an edifice of spirit, into a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ"? Having been cured of our own blindness, having been purged of our "carnal desires," we join this blessed Rock of the Church at the altar on high, sharing in the sacrifice of our Risen Christ. Should this thought not cause us to "serve the Lord with gladness"? Should it not make us ever eager to serve Him more, to draw ever closer to Him as He passes by? Is it not our desire to be with Him forever? "Get up! He is calling you!" Do not be afraid for "He made us" and we are "the flock He tends." The gentle Lord desires nothing more than to heal your troubled soul. See that you now "follow Him up the road" in joy, growing daily in the new life and light of the Spirit of God. ******* O LORD, in your great mercy you have saved us from our sins that we might see your glory – let us proclaim your marvelous works this day. YHWH, we praise you for the mercy you bring to our souls. We were once blind and begging by the roadside, but you have heard our cries and healed us; and now we walk with Jesus to Jerusalem. In His very sacrifice we share, offering ourselves and our works up in His Name. So generous you are that in His priesthood we now share. O LORD, though we are the poorest of sinners, though we have been so far from you and your mercy, mired in the deepest darkness, yet you have come to us, you have passed by the gutter in which we were splayed, and you have lifted us by your Word from our emptiness – you have given light to our eyes. Let us thank you now by following in your way, and so fulfill your grace at work in us. O LORD, let all our carnal desires be stripped from us like an old cloak and let us stand with you in white robes. Truly, O LORD, make us your own, that we might praise you forevermore.

May 27 - Prayer to St. Augustine of Canterbury

O converter of peoples, called from the quiet of cloister walls you went obediently over seas to preach to the souls to whom you were sent, and the Lord worked through your obedience, spoke through the words you uttered to the nations… and so the light of holy faith banished the darkness of error and souls indeed were gathered into Christ's fold – pray, O shepherd, obedience shall be ours, too, and all whom the Father would hold unto His breast shall come indeed to that sacred place and there find their rest. May God's will be accomplished in His Church and we bear fruit in His name.