The Act of Contrition

O my God,
I am heartily sorry for
Having offended Thee,
And I detest all my sins,
Because I dread the loss of heaven,
And the pains of hell;
But most of all because
They offend Thee, my God,
Who are all good and
Deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve,
With the help of Thy grace
To confess my sins,
To do penance
And to amend my life.

Amen.

--Reverend James Gibbons (1884)

Tues Prayer Stone

Almighty God, thank Thee for the job of this day.
May we find gladness in all its toil and difficulty,
its pleasure and success,
and even in its failure and sorrow.
We would look always away from ourselves,
and behold the glory and the need of the world
that we may have the will and the strength to bring
the gift of gladness to others;
that with them we stand to bear
the burden and heat of the day
and offer Thee the praise of work well done.

Amen.

--Bishop Charles Lewis Slattery (1867-1930)

Wait & good things will come

I am a huge fan of some of Mel Gibson’s movies. All three Mad Max films, the first two Lethal Weapon movies, Year of Living Dangerously, even Braveheart. The fact that he’s one of the few major stars in Hollywood to be a conservative Republican and a deeply religious Catholic makes me like him even more. I want to see his new movie as soon as I can afford it.


Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.

For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.

It will be said on that day 'Lo this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.'

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides thee, who works for those who wait for him.

Be ready for action with belts fastened and lamps alight. Be like men who wait for their master's return... ready to let him in the moment he knocks.

When he was abused he did not retort with abuse. When he suffered he uttered no threats, but committed his cause to the one who judges justly.

We ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons.

For to us, our hope of attaining the righteousness which we eagerly await, is the work of the Spirit through faith.

Be patient my brothers until the Lord comes. The farmer looking for the precious crop his land may yield can only wait in patience, until the autumn and spring rains have fallen.

(Psalm 27:14, RSV; Psalm 62:5, RSV; Isaiah 25:9, RSV; Isaiah (34:4, RSV; Luke 12:35-36, NEB; 1 Peter 2:23, NEB; Romans 8:23, RSV; Galatians 5:5, NEB; James 5:7-8, NEB)

always a better tomorrow

being new is not easy. You make mistakes and you learn from them and you try not to let them get you down. Sometimes you just can't help it... Sometimes you just have to let the waters of depression flow over you. But once they're done you gotta pick yourself up and and swim for the shore.





My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?... O, my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.'

'I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me. When I lie down I think, "How long before I get up?" The night drags on, and I toss till dawn.'

'Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees. But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged... Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope?'

Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them... when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs... if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

(Psalm 22:1 and 2; Job 7:3 and 4; Job 4: 4-6; Isaiah 30:20 and 26; Romans 8:17 -- all NIV)

Be thankful for all the opportunities

even the ones that don't seem like they are opportunities.




Bless the Lord, all his angels, creatures of might who do his bidding. Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers who serve his will. Bless the Lord, all created things, in every place where he has dominion. Bless the Lord, my soul.

And God gave Solomon depth of wisdom and insight, and understanding as wide as the sand on the sea-shore, so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed that of all the men of the east and of all Egypt.

The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered. He lived in the house of his Egyptian master, who saw that the Lord was with him and was giving him success in all that he undertook.

But the Almighty we cannot find; his power is beyond our ken, and his righteousness not slow to do justice. Therefore mortal men pay him reverence, and all who are wise look to him.

O Lord our sovereign, how glorious is thy name in all the earth!

O Lord, who savest man and beast, how precious is thy unfailing love!

You are, I know, eager for gifts of the Spirit; then aspire above all to excel in those which build up the church.

And now I will show you the best way of all. I may speak in tongues of men or of angels, but if I am without love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

(Psalm 103: 20-23; 1 Kings 4: 29-30; Genesis 39: 2-3; Job 37: 23-24; Psalm 8: 1; Psalm 36: 7; 1 Corinthians 14: 12; 1 Corinthians 12: 31b - 13:1 -- all NEB)

Your Prayer Stone will help you smile & get through the day

When you find yourself around a nasty co-worker. Don't get mad and don't explode at them. Simply take out your Prayer Stone, show it to them, smile and wish them a blessed day.


If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. (Philippians 1:1-2) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:4-5)

Be angry but do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your anger. (Ephesians 4:26)

No one should wrong or exploit a brother or sister... For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another. (1 Thessalonians 4:6,7,9)

Getting along with co workers

In everything do to others as you would have them do to you. (Matthew 7:12) Forgive, if you have anything against anyone. (Mark 11:25) Love your neighbour as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbour. (Romans 13:9,10)
We urge you... to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all. (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

My Prayer Stone sat on my desk all morning. Whenever I wanted to say something mean I just looked at my Prayer Stone and then smiled at my ungodly co-worker.

Thank you lord

I got through the first week alright. I was scared but nothing too bad happened. I made some mistakes but I got over them. Sometimes I had to toto the ladies Room to calm my nerves but I did it. Every time I felt scared or lonely or wanted to cry I juts took out my Pray Stone, held it tight in my hands, closed my eyes and created a vision that I was happy, healthy and livng in a home full of food and comfortable furniture again.

Prayer stone help

The new job is a little scary but I know I can do it. I carry my prayer stone in my purse and every time I need a little boost of prayer I just hold it in my hands and pray.

I promise, O blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor, to always honor you as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you.

Amen.

I hold my prayer stone now with every single prayer I say and I just know this job is going to be the best job for me.



In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.
Ecclesiastes 7:14

Our most gracious and loving Father,

You have most lovingly and graciously said that You have loved us with and everlasting love. We acknowledge, Lord, that Your love for us is deeper that the ocean and bigger than the biggest need in our heart. Father, all my longings lie open before You and my sighing is not hidden from You. I commit myself as well as the need for a new job into Your most precious and loving hands.

Lord God, fulfil the desire of my heart and bless the work of my hands. The Bible says, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." I am completely trusting in Your merit and Your faithfulness this hour. I am certain that You can make a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. You can open a way where there seems to be no way. O Lord, as I go through the selection procedures, let Your mighty uplifted hand rest upon me and grant me Your supernatural grace and mercies in the eyes of all the concerned officials. Please perfect everything that concerns me.

Father, my ways are not Your ways, neither are my thoughts Your thoughts. Your ways and Your thoughts are higher than the heavens above. Let Your perfect will be done in this matter. Put Your words into my mouth for the interviews and grant me Your wisdom and knowledge. Let Your mighty presence go before me.

I render thanks and praises to You alone, Master, because I believe that You have already performed a miracle in my life.

Amen.

Precious Saviour!

You sacrificed Yourself on the cross only to make me leave the way of a crab and follow the way of a fish. I understand this divine truth and surrender my life to You today. Give me the grace only to walk in Your ways at all times of my life.

In Your holy name I pray.

Amen.

Thank you

Holding my prayer stone I recited this prayer before I went to work.

For all You have given,
Thank You God.

For all You have withheld,
Thank You God.

For all You have withdrawn,
Thank You God.

For all You have permitted,
Thank You God.

For all You have prevented,
Thank You God.

For all You have forgiven me,
Thank You God.

For all You have prepared for me,
Thank You God.

For the death You have chosen for me,
Thank you God.

For the place you are keeping for me in heaven,
Thank You God.

For having created me to love You for eternity,
Thank You God.

Why I'm here

After being unemployed for over a year I had almost nothing left. I had sold off pieces of my home one by one just so I could pay rent & eat. One of the last things I had was a pray stone. One night I held onto that pretty round piece of glass stone so long that I thought it would break it. I don’t know how long I held onto it but it was searing hot in my hands and my face was full of dried and newly wet tears. The next morning I got a job. I couldn’t believe it. Now I want anyone who was desperate like me to have a prayer stone. It works…it really does.