Deacon Ward's Message of the Day July 1, 2020

Deacon Ward's Almost Daily Message 

Wednesday July 1, 2020

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"It is easier for the world to exist without a sun than to exist without the Eucharist."

(St. Padre Pio)

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Don't forget our Parish Food Shelf!

Your contributions of

non-perishable food is needed!

Thank you for your generosity! 

...And thanks to Pauline Labor and Rita Fortin for their service!

Food Shelf Open Thursdays from 
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

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Today, we pray for All deceased priests of our diocese…and also for 
All those discerning a vocation.

“Eternal Father, we lift up to you these and all the priests and deacons of the world.

Sanctify them, heal and guide them.

Mold them into the likeness and holiness

of your Son, Jesus, the Eternal High Priest.

May their lives be pleasing to you. In Jesus' name, we pray."  Amen.

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What is Prayer?

Philip Kosloski / June 30, 2020

Christian prayer is a the raising of your mind and soul to God, speaking with him and placing before him your many desires.

One of the most fundamental aspects of Christianity, or any organized religion, is prayer. However, we often don’t talk about the nature of prayer and what it is exactly.

What is prayer?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church opens up its section on prayer with an eloquent quotation from St. Therese of Lisieux, which serves as a primary definition of prayer.

For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. (CCC 2558)

After this quotation, the Catechism goes on to give a more lengthy explanation that simply expands on the definition provided by St. Therese.

“Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or “out of the depths” of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer, Only when we humbly acknowledge that “we do not know how to pray as we ought,” are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. “Man is a beggar before God.” (CCC 2559)

Prayer is the simple recognition that God is God and we are not. This is why the primary virtue of prayer is humility, acknowledging that we are all “beggars” before God.

However, prayer is much more than placing before God our petitions. It is also primarily focused on our relationship with God.

As the Catechism reiterates, “This mystery, then, requires that the faithful believe in it, that they celebrate it, and that they live from it in a vital and personal relationship with the living and true God. This relationship is prayer” (CCC 2558).

We often forget that prayer is about a relationship and our love of God. Typically we go straight to the petitions, but first of all, prayer must be centered on the love we have for God and how we want to grow in that love.

This is only the beginning of prayer, as it is a deep and multifaceted concept, one that takes a lifetime to understand. Just as we can never plumb the depths of who God is, so too we can never fully exhaust the treasure that is prayer.

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We are all in need of healing...physical, emotional
or spiritual.

Why not put into practice what we've learned!

Let us pray: 

Lord, look upon me with the eyes of Your mercy,

may Your healing hand rest upon me,

may Your life-giving powers flow into every

cell of my body and into the depths of my soul,

cleansing, purifying, restoring me to

wholeness and strength for service in Your Kingdom.

Amen.

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Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is a 

powerful way to bring your needs to 

our Father...through the intercession of 

His beloved Son.

****FRIDAY!****

"It is easier for the world to exist without a sun than to exist without the Eucharist."

(St. Padre Pio)

...Starting at 7:00 PM!

 Come and join us (or online) for 

Holy Adoration and Holy Rosary (Led by Fr. Rijo)

 from St. Mary Star of the Sea Church

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Funny Pages

Thanks for tuning in!

God Bless Everyone!

Deacon Ward