A Penitent's Prayer before the Crucifix

O Lord Jesus Christ crucified,
each of the wounds and injustices You suffered
during Your passion are the result of my sin.
I have caused Your suffering,
yet You suffer for me
with complete docility to the Will of the Father.
As You have given over Your human life for my soul,
granting to me a love that has abundance beyond all compare,
so, too, may I love You not with my human love,
but by offering Your love for me in return to You.
Therefore, previous Saviour, will You be loved
as is fitting for You, by Your own holy, divine, and abundant love.
As Your poured Yourself out for me and all sinners on the cross,
assist me Holy Spirit, by your grace, in pouring out myself to God:
so that myself is destroyed;
so that my human will in made totally subject to the Divine Will;
so that I may not live, but You, Holy Trinity, live in me.

Amen

Please Pray for Bishop Ricard

15 FEBRUARY 2011. It was reported today locally that the bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee, John H. Ricard, SSJ, has asked Rome for leave to retire early for health reasons. Bishop Ricard suffered a stroke and additional complications many months ago.

Please join us in this mission diocese in praying for Bishop Ricard, our good and faithful pastor since 1997.

Merciful Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 
one Holy and United Trinity,
we praise you and thank you for the pastoral leadership
of Bishop John Ricard.
In this time of need, dear Lord, provide
him with every grace and blessing to be
sustained and comforted in his trials.
Bless his difficulty and suffering dear Father;
sanctify and unite it with the suffering of Christ Jesus
in His Holy Passion.
We pray, O Lord, that your Divine Will
reign on earth, as it does in heaven, 
and that Bishop Ricard, especially, be the blessed
benefactor of Your loving Will.
Bless him, O Lord, and keep him.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
only begotten Son of the Father, who is one in union
with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Today's Saints: Exemplars for All

5 FEBRUARY 2011. From the Roman Martryology for today:

At Catana in Sicily, in the time of Emperor Decius and the judge Quinctian, the birthday of St. Agatha, virgin and martyr. After being buffeted, imprisoned, tortured, racked, dragged over pieces of earthenware and burning coals, and having her breasts cut away, she completed her sacrifice in prison while engaged in prayer.

At Nagasaki in Japan, the passion of twenty-six martyrs. Three priests, one cleric, and two lay brothers were members of the Order of Friars Minor; one cleric was of the Society of Jesus, and seventeen belonged to the Third Order of St. Francis. All of them, placed upon crosses for the Catholic faith, and pierced with lances, gloriously died in praising God and preaching that same faith. Their names were added to the roll of saints by Pope Pius IX.

In Pontus, during the persecution of Maximian, the commemoration of many holy martyrs, some of whom had molten lead poured on them, others had sharp reeds thrust under their nails, and were often horribly tormented in many other ways. Thus, by their glorious suffering, they deserved to receive at the hands of God palms of victory and their crowns.

At Alexandria, during the persecution of Decius, St. Isidore, martyr, who was beheaded for the faith of Christ by Numerian, general of the army.

At Vienne, blessed Avitus, bishop and confessor, whose faith, labors, and admirable learning protected France against the ravages of the Arian heresy.

At Sabion in the Tyrol, St. Genuinus, bishop, whose illustrious life abounded in miracles. His revered body was afterwards taken to Brixen where a shrine was erected in his honor.

At Brixen, St. Albinus, bishop, who moved the Episcopal See from Sabion to that city, and there, eminent by virtue of his miracles, passed to the Lord.