Happy first Friday of May

May is here. The month of Mary! Queen of all hearts. And tomorrow is a first Friday, so if you are able to get to Mass, do.

My parish began doing adoration every Friday - what a gift! To have that time for contemplation.

Two St. Joseph resources for you (this is becoming a St. Joseph stan account, obvs):

How to Pray the Chaplet of St. Joseph (had never heard of this before - tell me how it is)

Vatican adds seven invocations to Litany of St. Joseph

Now that one is fun. Here they are:

The seven invocations, in Latin, are Custos Redemptoris, Serve Christi, Minister salutis, Fulcimen in difficultatibus, Patrone exsulum, Patrone afflictorum, and Patrone pauperum.

“The new invocations of St. Joseph can be translated in English as Guardian of the Redeemer, Servant of Christ, Minister of Salvation, Support in Difficulties, Patron of Refugees, Patron of the Afflicted, and Patron of the Poor.”

I particularly like “Support in Difficulties.”

Here’s the full Litany of St. Joseph (Terror of Demons!).

Happy Feast of St. Louis Marie de Montfort

Three items:

One, the audio of my conversation yesterday on the Morning Air show. You can listen here, and highlights below:

We may examine all the blessings God has given us - health, work, family, home, vacations, creative endeavors - and want to give something back. How do we do that?

• We no longer have to make material/physical sacrifice, as with doves, etc. - Jesus took care of that!

• But there are ways we can "give" back to God

• Serve others: whatever you do to others, you do to God. Serve the poor and give alms. In that way, you give back to the Lord.

• Worship. Praise God for all his goodness. Share with him your gratitude for the blessing in your life.

• Tell others about Jesus. A gift is meant to be given - give the gift of your faith to others!

• Ultimately, the greatest gift we can give back to God is our own heart, will, and obedience. Spend time with God in prayer. Make time to BE with Him.

This past Saturday’s psalm was actually quite appropriate: “How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?” (Psalm 116:12-13) A question we can ask ourselves each day.

Two: today (or tomorrow, depending on what you look at) is the Feast of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, parish priest and author of True Devotion to Mary (see also a pdf version from the de Montfort society here). He is also a significant a patron of the Legion of Mary.

Three: May 1 is the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. You know I love St. Joseph, and that it is the year of St. Joseph. Here’s 15 ways to gain a plenary indulgence in this year of St. Joseph. Go to him, prayer to him, think about him holding the baby Jesus.

And let me know how you are “giving back” to God, participating in the endless loop of His grace!

An image of Our Lady, Undoer of Knots

I stole the below from a screenshot of a screenshot (see the start of a diocese’s logo at the bottom right corner), so I do not know the attribution. But, isn’t this a beautiful image?

Save the time: I’ll be appearing on Morning Air radio this coming Monday, 4/26 at 7 am to discuss what gifts we can give back to God. Spoiler alert: it’s nothing material! You can listen online here.

Please pray for me, and I will pray for you!

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exist in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exists in my life. You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am bound by these knots. Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of his children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life. No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot.