O Queen of Heaven, thou who sittest enthroned above all the choirs of Angels, nearest to God Himself, from this vale of tears, I a wretched sinner, salute thee and implore thee to turn thine eyes of mercy toward me. See, O Mary, the great dangers which encompass me now and in the future, so […]
A Prayer for Wednesday
O Mother of God, Mary most holy, how many times by my sins have I merited the pains of Hell! Even now the sentence might have been passed, perhaps on the occasion of my very first sin, hadst thou not in thy tender pity restrained the hand of Divine Justice: and then overcoming my hardness […]
The Lord’s Table and Our Excuses
(St. Luke 14:15-24) This parable of the Great Supper has kept me company many times. I picture a table already laid, a host waiting with hope, and a door that stands open. The words, “Now all things are ready,” rest the heart. They remind me that our Lord begins before we begin. He is not […]
A Prayer for Tuesday
Most holy Mary, Mother of goodness and mercy, when I consider my sins and think of the moment of death, I am filled with trembling and confusion. O sweetest Mother, in the Blood of Jesus Christ and in thy intercession are all my hopes. O Comforter of the afflicted, do not abandon me at that […]
A Prayer for Monday
O Queen of Heaven, most holy Mary, once I was the slave of Satan, but now I dedicate myself to be thy servant for ever; I offer myself to thy perpetual honour and service. Accept me, then, as thy servant; ah, do not cast me out as I deserve. In thee, my Mother, have I […]
Hope Beyond Mourning
“It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” (2 Maccabees 12:46) My reading today from the Legion of Mary Handbook (chapter 17) stirred in me a deep sense of tenderness and admiration for its reflections on the communion of saints and the lasting […]
The Healing Power of Forgiveness
Few words in the Christian faith carry as much weight as the word forgive. It is simple to say, yet deeply demanding when we are called to live it. Forgiveness stands at the very centre of the Christian life, for it was upon the Cross that Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not […]
A Prayer for Sunday
Behold, O Mother of God, at thy feet a wretched sinner who has recourse to thee and trusts in thee. I do not deserve that thou shouldst even look upon me; but I know that thou, seeing thy Son dead to save sinners, hast a great desire to assist them. O Mother of mercy, behold […]
Why Christians Must Remain Separate from the World
Today we take up a hard and necessary word from the Lord—to live in the world, yet to be not of the world. Our Saviour prayed for us in His great high-priestly prayer, “I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from evil. They are […]
The Virtue of Silence and the Guarding of Speech
There is great wisdom in knowing when to speak and when to keep silent. Many a soul has found itself in needless conflict because words were spoken hastily, without knowledge of the full circumstance. Judgement, once uttered, cannot easily be recalled; it has the power to wound both the speaker and the one spoken of. […]