Day 4, Unite at the Foot of the Cross – Love
DAY 4 – MOTHER OF CHRIST, PRAY THAT WE RECEIVE THE VIRTUE OF LOVE!
GOD’S WORD
“Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.” (John 15:9-10)
HEROES’ WORDS
“Love to be real, it must cost — it must hurt — it must empty us of self.” -Mother Teresa
“To love God is something greater than to know him.” -St. Thomas Aquinas
“It is not hard to obey when we love the one whom we obey.” -St. Ignatius of Loyola
MEDITATION
Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God (CCC 1822). Charity: The infused supernatural virtue by which a person loves God above all things for his own sake, and loves others for God’s sake. It is a virtue based on divine faith or in belief in God’s revealed truth, and is not acquired by mere human effort. It can be conferred only by divine grace. Because it is infused along with sanctifying grace, it is frequently identified with the state of grace. Therefore, a person who has lost the supernatural virtue of charity has lost the state of grace, although he may still possess the virtues of hope and faith. (Fr. John Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary)
Jesus makes charity the new commandment. By loving his own “to the end,” he makes manifest the Father’s love, which he receives. By loving one another, the disciples imitate the love of Jesus, which they themselves receive. Whence Jesus says: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.” And again: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (CCC 1823).
The practice of all the virtues is animated and inspired by charity, which “binds everything together in perfect harmony”; it is the form of the virtues; it articulates and orders them among themselves; it is the source and the goal of their Christian practice. Charity upholds and purifies our human ability to love, and raises it to the supernatural perfection of divine love (CCC 1827).
“BEST PRACTICES” OF PRAYER – Take these 54 days to discover and cultivate the deep and rich tradition of a truly Catholic spiritual life. God has revealed these spiritual practices through the Blessed Mother and the saints. That makes these practices the most pleasing to God and, therefore, the most direct route to the heart of God. Do you crave the ‘peace that surpasses all understanding,’ mentioned by St. Paul in Holy Scripture? That comes from what St. Francis de Sales calls, “Cor Ad Cor Loquitur: Heart Speaks to Heart.” This “Peace Through Strength Prayer Journal,” designed by Fr. Richard Heilman with the advice of Fr. Chad Ripperger, is the very best way to please God and to cultivate your intimate relationship with God, and discover the peace that comes from being very close to God. Order your “Peace Through Strength Prayer Journal” at romancatholicgear.com
ADD FASTING: Fasting is a way in which the Lord gives the underdog victory. Let the Holy Spirit inspire your own level of fasting. If fasting from food is prohibitive, fast from some other creature comfort.
From Simply Catholic: “By the second century, fasting was integrated into Christian worship. Jews had long fasted on Mondays and Thursdays, but the Christians chose to fast on Wednesdays, because that was the day of Christ’s betrayal, and Fridays, the day he was crucified.”
PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA
THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY
Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary.
In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys, each bud recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee, thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!
In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys each bud recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, Dispenser of God’s graces. and Mother of all who invoke thee! thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother.
Say: The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
The Annunciation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Fatima Prayer.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Visitation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Fatima Prayer.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Nativity – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Fatima Prayer.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of detachment from the world and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Presentation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Fatima Prayer.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of purity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Fatima Prayer.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of obedience to the will of God and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
Say: The Hail Holy Queen.
Spiritual Communion: My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request, see below). Hail Mary …
In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request, see below) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc.
PETITION: May our Church and our country find hope as we unite at the foot of the cross. (Please add your own petitions to this powerful novena)
The daily reflections for this prayer and spiritual strength training campaign can be found in multiple places.
1) You can sign up to receive the 54 Day Rosary prayers with daily reflection in your email. Click Here to Sign Up.
2) You can join the United State Grace Force Facebook group HERE, to receive the reflections each day.
3) You can order the “54 Day Basic Training in Holiness” book at romancatholicgear.com
You are welcomed to join Fr. Richard Heilman as he prays the rosary “over our country” at sunrise from a lookout tower atop Blue Mounds State Park:
