Tag: prayer

new friends

Published on by Dawn Marie4 Comments

For many years I have been following a practice introduced to me by a very dear friend, who is the editor of a Newsletter I subscribe to.

The Spirit of Medjugorje.

Medjugorje, located in Bosnia-Herzecgnovia, is a very special place – and for those of us who have had the good fortune to travel there can attest – there are many graces delivered when one visits with an open heart to the Lord and Jesus’ mother, Mary.

Each year the editor of The Spirit of Medjugorje, June, randomly chooses the name of a saint to be the “holy protector” for the Newsletter for the year.

St. Faustina’s (my gal-pal) community used to do this every year on New Year’s Day (Saint Faustina’s Diary, #360). This can be a fun and educational thing to do with your family and friends. Almost always, there is a connection between the saint and the person or group who randomly picked it.

Although any list of saints can be used, there is one my friend recommends on the website, www.mary’s.tv. Simply download the pdf with the names of the same Saints created by Saint Faustina’s community, tear/cut them into individual slips of paper, place in a bag/box/bowl & pick one from the large selection randomly!

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whale of a tale

Published on by Dawn Marie4 Comments

The story is quite simple.

Jonah Tries to Run Away from God

Chapter 1:  God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach coming judgment. Jonah didn’t like the Ninevites and didn’t want God to spare them from judgment, so he fled in the opposite direction by boarding a ship heading to Tarshish. A storm arose and Jonah slept.  The sailors cast lots and determined Jonah was the cause of the storm. Jonah told them to throw him overboard and they did so.  Then they called out to the LORD.  God prepared a great fish (whale?) and it swallowed Jonah.  Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish (1:17).

Chapter 2-3:  God caused the fish to vomit up Jonah and three days later Jonah obeyed God and went to Nineveh.  He preached coming judgment and the whole city repented (3:5).

Chapter 4: God not only cared about saving Ninevah, He also cared about changing Jonah’s angry heart.

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.  And he prayed to the Lord and said, “I pray thee, Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repentest of evil.  Therefore now, O Lord, take my life from me, I beseech thee, for it is better for me to die than to live.”  And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”  Then Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.

Jonah 4:2-5
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never…

Published on by Dawn Marie4 Comments

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;[a] this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.[b] 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon[c] came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon[d] took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant[e] in peace,
    according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31     which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon[f] blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

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