Day 9, Unite at the Foot of the Cross – Wisdom

by Fr Richard Heilman | February 13, 2024 12:05 AM

DAY 9 – MOTHER UNDEFILED, PRAY THAT WE RECEIVE THE GIFT OF WISDOM!

 

GOD’S WORD

“Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.” (Psalm 25:8-10).

HEROES’ WORDS

“Dost thou hold wisdom to be anything other than truth, wherein we behold and embrace the supreme good?” -St. Augustine

“Let your old age be childlike, and your childhood like old age; that is, so that neither may your wisdom be with pride, nor your humility without wisdom.” -St. Augustine

“God gives each one of us sufficient grace ever to know his holy will, and to do it fully.” -St. Ignatius of Loyola

“We are to love God for himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable.” -St. Bernard of Clairvaux

MEDITATION

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations. “Let your good spirit lead me on a level path” (Ps 143:10). “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Rom 8:14). (CCC 1831)

The Gift of Wisdom: The first and highest gift of the Holy Spirit. It makes the soul responsive to God in the contemplation of divine things. Where faith is a simple knowledge of the articles of Christian belief, wisdom goes on to a certain divine penetration of the truths themselves. Built into wisdom is the element of love, which inspires contemplative reflection on these divine mysteries, rejoices dwelling on them, and directs the mind to judge all things according to their principles. (Fr. John Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary)

 

[1]“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,”[2] 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”[3] at romancatholicgear.com[4]

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 GLORIOUS 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, full-blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee, each rose 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 full blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee, each rose 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 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.

For each of the following Mysteries, say: Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

The Resurrection – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Fatima Prayer.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of faith and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

The Ascension – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Fatima Prayer.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of hope and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

The Descent of the Holy Spirit – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Fatima Prayer.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

The Assumption of Mary – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Fatima Prayer.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with Christ and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

The Coronation of the Blessed Mother – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Fatima Prayer.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with thee 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[5].

2) You can join the United State Grace Force Facebook group HERE[6], to receive the reflections each day.

3) You can order the “54 Day Basic Training in Holiness” book at romancatholicgear.com[4]

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[7]:

 

Source URL: https://usgraceforce.com/day-9-unite-at-the-foot-of-the-cross-wisdom/

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