March Gracelines
"You must pray the prayer of action, which is the fragrant flower of the soul. A good man is a prayer."
St. Catherine of Sienna
For Reflection:
Why is the prayer of action "the fragrant flower of the soul?" Am I a prayer?
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March Gracelines
"It is human to fall, but angelic to rise again."
St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier
For Reflection:
Ah, where does this bring hope to me today?
March Gracelines
"The mission of the priest is to save souls. But he cannot do this effectively unless he has helpers. Now woman, by reason of her deeply religious nature and her power over man, is ideally suited for this task. She should, therefore, joyfully and methodically cooperate with the clergy in the noble task of extending Christ's Kingdom on earth.
Rev. James Alberione
For Reflection:
In what one way can I cooperate with the clergy "in the noble task of extending Christ's Kingdom on earth?"
March Gracelines
"The soul about to receive Holy Communion should be pure, that it may be purified; alive, that it may be quickened; just, that it may be justified; ready, that it may be incorporated with God uncreated who was made Man, and that it may be one with Him unto all eternity."
Blessed Angela of Foligno
For Reflection:
What is the state of my soul today? Am I "ready" to receive Holy Communion?
March Gracelines
"The isolation of my soul, the constant and painful injuries caused by those who are hostile or indifferent, especially when they are near and dear to me, the sadness of feeling unequal to the great task to be accomplished, the sufferings of my heart, the difficulties of my life, the misery of my physical weakness - this is the rugged soil, my God, in which Thou wilt cause joy to grow."
Elisabeth Leseur
For Reflection:
What is the "soil" out of which God desires to grow joy in my life?
March Gracelines
"Never utter in your neighbor's absence what you would not say in their presence."
St. Mary Magdalene of Pazzi
For Reflection:
How well do I heed this sage advice?
Death and New Life
During these first few weeks of Lent, Holy Mother Church directs us to ponder the reality of our mortality and to make a serious appraisal of how we are living our lives in light of it.
Today’s reading from Divine Intimacy (#95) by Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene, OCD, brings spiritual perspective to this most important consideration. Following are a couple of nuggets that impacted me today in my time of prayer:
March Gracelines
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"Which stands up better in a crisis - man or woman? The best way to arrive at a conclusion is to go to the greatest crises the world ever faced, namely the CRUCIFIXON OF OUR DIVINE LORD. When we come to this great drama of Calvary there is one fact that stands out very clearly: Men failed. On the other hand, there is not a single instance of a woman's failing him."
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
For Reflection:
Am I willing to stand at the foot of the cross with Mary and the other holy women? What cross is mine today?
Lent: Be Mortified – Not Mortifying
Yesterday on our radio program, Women of Grace® Live, I recommended two resources for Lent _-- In Conversation with God, Volume 2 by Francis Fernandez; and Divine Intimacy by Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene, OCD. Today, I followed my own advice and prayerfully read the selections for Ash Wednesday. Both were excellent. But it was one line in Section 2 of In Conversation with God that grabbed me.
March Gracelines
Feast of St. Frances of Rome
(1384 - 1440)
Merciful Father,
in Frances of Rome
You have given us a unique example of love in marriage
as well as in religious life.
Keep us faithful in Your service,
and help us to see and follow You
in all the aspects of life.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns
with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
+Amen.
From the Collect of the Mass on the Feast of St. Frances of Rome
For Reflection:
St. Frances of Rome did not want to marry but desired instead to enter religious life. However, she recognized that marriage was God's will for her. She did marry and, following the death of her husband, she founded a religious order. How is God speaking to me through the witness of the life of St. Frances of Rome?
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