SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: MAY 7, 2024
Greetings, beloved family and Happy Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter!
We thank God for the gift of life and for the gift of the new month of May. The entire month of May is dedicated to our beloved Mother Mary, the Mother of God. May she continue to intercede for us and may God’s grace and mercy be with us all during this season of Easter🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN | May 7, 2024” |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 7, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” | May 7, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 7, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 7, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Reading 1, Acts 16:22-34
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 138:1-2, 2-3, 7-8
Gospel, John 16:5-11
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY: MONTH OF OUR LADY: In addition to the myriad feast days honoring Our Lady under her many titles and virtues, the entire month of May is especially given to her praise. In the words of Pope Paul VI, May is “a month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God … For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God’s merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother’s throne.”
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF MAY – FOR THE FORMATION OF RELIGIOUS AND SEMINARIANS: We pray that religious women and men, and seminarians, grow in their own vocations through their human, pastoral, spiritual and community formation, leading them to be credible witnesses to the Gospel.🙏
https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024
PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen🙏
During this Easter season, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT ROSA VENERINI, RELIGIOUS AND BLESSED GISELE, WIDOW ~ FEAST DAY: MAY 7TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Rosa Venerini, Religious and Blessed Gisele, Widow. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the poor and the needy, we pray for all mothers and women all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being. We also pray for all youths and all teachers that they may be good examples to their students.🙏
SAINT ROSA VENERINI, RELIGIOUS: St. Rosa (February 9, 1656 – May 7, 1728) also known as St. Rose, recently-canonized Italian educator who founded Catholic schools for girls and young women during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Saint Rosa Venerini lived consumed by two great passions: passion for God and passion for the salvation of souls. She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 15, 2006, who spoke in his canonization homily of her courageous work for “the spiritual elevation and authentic emancipation of the young women of her time.” Her work is continued today by the “Venerini Sisters.”
St. Rose Venerini was born in the central Italian city of Viterbo on February 9, 1656, she was the daughter of an accomplished pious doctor, Goffredo, who raised four children with his admirable wife, Marzia. At the age of seven she made a vow to consecrate her life to God. However, tjis resolution was tested during her adolescence. She was later conflicted between her vow and living in the world. At the age of 20 she knew she must make a decision between marriage and the cloister, the only two options available to women of her day, both of which she esteemed. After much prayer and suffering she entered a monastery. St. Rosa briefly joined a Dominican women’s community during 1676, but returned home to comfort her mother after her father, Goffredo’s unexpected death. One of Rosa’s brothers, Domenico, also died at age 27. Her mother, Marzia was heartbroken and died within months. In the wake of these family crises, St. Rosa invited local women to her home to pray the Rosary in a group. However, she was soon dismayed by the deficiencies she saw in their education and religious formation. This eye-opening experience shaped Rosa’s future, pointing her toward her ultimate vocation in the field of teaching. In 1685, with the help of two friends and the approval of her local bishop, Rosa opened Italy’s first public school for girls. It was supported by some Church and state officials, though others resisted an educational model that was, for its time, unconventional. Many of these critics were silenced by the school’s clear success in uplifting the character of young women. St. Rosa left Viterbo and founded ten schools in the Diocese of Montefiascone between 1692 and 1694. She also trained a local successor, the future Saint Lucia Filippini. Only after several years, and one disappointing failed attempt, did Rosa manage to start a school in Rome, during 1713. Three years later, Pope Clement XI paid a visit accompanied by eight cardinals. Witnessing the work of Rosa Venerini’s teachers, the Pope personally thanked her, declaring: “With these schools you will sanctify Rome.”
The acceptance of Rosa’s work also increased her daily responsibilities. Governors and cardinals asked her to open schools in their areas. She undertook difficult journeys for the sake of her work, while maintaining a strong prayer life that kept her oriented toward God’s will in all of her undertakings. Spiritual direction from Jesuit priests helped her to combine an active apostolate with a life of contemplative prayer. She cultivated a close daily relationship to God while working to found over 40 schools. Over the course of her life she opened 40 schools across Italy dedicated to the education and promotion of women for the uplifting and ennobling of society. St. Rosa Venerini’s last illness came to an end during the evening of May 7, 1728 at the age of seventy-two. Her religious congregation, known in Italian as the “Maistre pie Venerini,” maintains an international presence. After having made its contribution to the Italian immigrants to the USA from 1909 and in Switzerland from 1971 to 1985, the Congregation extended its apostolic activity to other lands: India, Brazil, Cameroon, Romania, Albania, Chile, Venezuela and Nigeria. “Educate to save” became her motto. Her feast day is May 7th.
PRAYER: O God, who raised up blessed Rose Venerini in your Church to show others the way of salvation, grant us, by her example, so to follow Christ the master, that we may come with our neighbor into your presence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever… Amen🙏
BLESSED GISELE, WIDOW: Blessed Gisele also known as Gisela of Hungary or Gisele, Gizella of Bavaria (c. 985 – May 7, 1065) was the first queen consort of Hungary by marriage to Stephen I of Hungary, and the sister of Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor. Blessed Gisele was given in marriage to St. Stephen of Hungary in 1008. She bore his a son, who went on to become St. Emeric, and fully supported him in his work of evangelization. Blessed Gisela had great influence on the conversion of the Hungarians. After the death of her husband, Blessed Gisele retired to the Benedictine Abbey of Niederburg (later becoming its Abbess) and spent her time in prayer and self-denial until her death on May 7, 1065.
PRAYER: God, You inspired Blessed Gisele to strive for perfect charity and so attain Your Kingdom at the end of her pilgrimage on earth. Strengthen us through her intercession that we may advance rejoicing in the way of love… Amen🙏
PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of Easter, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy and all those who preach the Gospel. For vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS
Bible Readings for today, Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Gospel Reading ~ John 16:5-11
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you
“Jesus said to his disciples: “Now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus, on the night before He died, addresses Himself to the sadness of the disciples. They are sad because they have heard Him talk about going away. On this evening, full of foreboding, they sense that He is referring to His imminent death. We always experience sadness when someone who has been significant for us, someone we have loved and valued, is taken from us in death. We need to grieve the loss of our loved ones. Yet, Jesus wants to bring some light into the sadness, the darkness of spirit, of His disciples. He does so by assuring them that, in going from them, He will be able to do something for them that He would not otherwise be able to do. In returning to the Father, He will be able to send them the Advocate, the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit. In and through this Spirit, Jesus will be present to His disciples in a new and very intimate way, and He will be present in this manner not just to His disciples gathered with Him that evening but to all future disciples, including us all. Jesus’ death and His resurrection from the dead leads to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon us all, and, in and through the Spirit, Jesus is within us and among us. That same Spirit is with us in all our dark and difficult times, in all our times of painful loss. The Spirit assures us of the Lord’s loving presence at such moments, so that even in our sadness we can experience something of that joy which is the fruit of the Spirit.
Our first reading today from the Acts of the Apostles, gives an account how St. Paul and St. Silas, one of his partners in missionary works across the Mediterranean region, faced great trouble in Philippi in the then Roman Greece, as they were despised by the slave owners of the region, who found their messages of Christian hope and emancipation, of the coming of the Lord’s help and assistance, and the equality between all mankind a truly dangerous one, as that had turned more and more of their own slaves into the Christian faith, and not few among those slave owners must have thought that there was a chance that the slaves might even turn against their own masters or disobey them because of the teachings of the Christian missionaries. Sts. Paul and Silas were put in prison after they were flogged and made to suffer, and they suffered, although not for long, because the Lord was always with all of His disciples, and He would aid and help them in their time and hour of need, according to His will. It was not the time for St. Paul or St. Silas yet to suffer prison for a long time or martyrdom back then, and hence, an earthquake happened, which broke open their prison and made many others to be free as well. The jailor was so afraid of the repercussions of what had happened, that he almost took his own life if not for the intervention from the two disciples, who convinced him not to do so. And not just that, the jailor and his whole family was even convinced and became members of the Church, gotten baptised because of this event. In a sense, the occasion of the earthquake was truly very symbolic indeed. As it did not just physically broke the chains holding the disciples, but also that of the many other people that were imprisoned with them. And with regards to the jailor himself and his whole family, this represented the breaking of the chains of sin and evil that had held them up, dominated them and kept them from the salvation in God. The Lord was not just protecting His faithful ones, but He even used the opportunity to open up the doors to more people who came to believe in Him because of the misfortune that had faced His disciples, and what was a hard time for the disciples of the Lord, became even yet another opportunity for the salvation of more souls.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, all of us are encouraged and strengthened by the words and the stories of how the Lord had guided, protected and provided for His people in their hour of need. We are constantly being reminded again and again, that the Lord is always with us, by our side, guiding and helping us to go through the journey of our lives, as we follow Him faithfully and as we walk in His presence, carrying out His will and doing our part as Christians, that is as those whom God had called and chosen, and all of us who have accepted Him as our Lord, Saviour and King. Each and every one of us are truly fortunate because all the great love that God has always shown us. Let us all hence turn towards the Lord, our most loving God with renewed conviction and faith. Let us all embrace the Lord with renewed dedication and commitment to Him, and let us strive to seek Him and to walk down the path that He has shown us, embracing the love and compassion that He has always given us all these while. Let us be strengthened with hope and be encouraged by the examples of the Holy Apostles and disciples of the Lord. Let us not easily be disheartened especially if we faced hardships and persecutions by the world, oppressions and challenges from those who disagree with us and refuse to believe in the Lord like us. Instead, let us all make use of every opportunities to allow the Lord to lead and guide us ever more, as we continue walking down the path that He has led us all into. May the Risen Lord, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, our most loving God and Good Shepherd, be with us always, be with His Church, and may the Holy Spirit be our inspiration, strength and guide. May the Lord bless our every works and good efforts for His greater glory, and may He help us all to persevere through all the hardships and challenges that we may have to face in this world. And may God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and bless us all in our every good works and endeavours, for His greater glory, now and always. Amen🙏
Let us pray:
My dear Jesus, You prepared Your disciples for the new life of grace that they would receive after Your death and Resurrection. Though fearful and uncertain, they embraced the new life You called them to live, and You did marvelous things through them. Please open my heart to the full embrace of my vocation and any changes that You desire for my life. I say “Yes” to You, my Lord, and pray that You work powerfully through me by the Holy Spirit. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Rosa Venerini, Religious and Blessed Gisele, Widow ~ Pray for us sinners🙏
Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for His Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all and for vocations to priesthood and consecrated life. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful Sixth Week of Easter!🙏
Blessings and Love always, Philomena💖